Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment has responded to a defamation lawsuit brought by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede concerning its web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan. The company’s legal representative stated that although the series takes inspiration from overly zealous officials, it neither portrays nor mentions the Cordelia cruise incident.
Red Chillies responds strongly to Sameer Wankhede
On Wednesday, Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Shah Rukh Khan, contested in the Delhi High Court a request from IRS officer Sameer Wankhede for a temporary ban on the series titled The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
In the hearing, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing Red Chillies, argued before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav that satire and fiction are compatible. He stated that there is no legal restriction preventing their coexistence, and even if elements are partly inspired by real individuals or events, disclaimers can be included. Kaul emphasized that there was no ill intent or malice, describing the work as a portrayal of a Bollywood success story.
Kaul stated that they are not targeting individuals who are sensitive, and that feeling hurt does not equate to malice. He questioned whether one could single out an isolated example or a brief excerpt, noting that the series addresses around 20 distinct topics. He clarified that it does not depict a documentary on the Cordelia cruise incident, and mentioned being inspired by overly enthusiastic officers, emphasizing that this should not be interpreted as telling the Cordelia cruise story.
In October 2021, Aryan gained widespread attention after being linked to a high-profile drug case when the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) conducted a raid on a rave party aboard the Goa-bound Cordelia Empress cruise ship near the Mumbai coast. The arrest was carried out by an NCB team led by former Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. Aryan spent over three weeks in jail before being released, and was later cleared of all charges in the case.
Kaul criticized Wankhede, alleging that he enjoys giving media interviews and spoke cheerfully about the matters following the release of the Netflix series.
Kaul, representing Red Chillies, stated that portraying problems within Bollywood can include depictions of overzealous officials. He emphasized that he is not accountable for others’ statements and has every right to highlight the industry’s issues. He added that public officials should not be overly sensitive if portrayed in such a manner.
During his final remarks, Kaul emphasized that misrepresenting someone does not necessarily constitute a legal case. He noted that every scene in the show is dramatized and insisted he was neither mocking the individual nor the symbol, but rather commenting on officials with grand notions. The Court is scheduled to hear Netflix’s arguments on Thursday.
What information is available regarding the case
In September, Sameer initiated a defamation lawsuit in the Delhi High Court against Aryan and his celebrity father, requesting permanent and mandatory injunctions, a declaration, and compensation from Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, as well as Netflix.
In his petition, Sameer claims that a specific scene in the show ridicules him and includes false, harmful, and defamatory material intended to harm his reputation.