Row Erupts Over Ranbir Kapoor’s On-Screen E-Cigarette; Human Rights Body Demands Action

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the Mumbai Police following a complaint against Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Ba**ds of Bollywood*.

The complaint, filed by Vinay Joshi of the Legal Rights Observatory, alleges that the Netflix series features actor Ranbir Kapoor using a banned e-cigarette on screen without any statutory warning or disclaimer.

According to the petition dated September 22, the scene could “mislead or negatively influence young viewers by promoting the use of such banned substances.” The complainant has demanded legal action against Kapoor, the producers, and Netflix for allegedly violating Indian laws and streaming harmful content.

Ranbir Kapoor makes a cameo in the series finale, where he plays himself in a meeting with filmmaker Karan Johar and character Sanya (played by Anya Singh), the manager of lead star Aasmaan Singh (Lakshya). It is in this sequence that Kapoor is shown using a vape.

The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which premiered on Netflix on September 18, also features cameos by Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, and Emraan Hashmi across its seven episodes.