Sameer Wankhede escalates legal action against Bollywood figures, moves Mumbai court

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted former Indian Revenue Service officer Sameer Wankhede.

The liberty to pursue his defamation case against the Netflix series The Bads of Bollywood* before a Mumbai court**, citing lack of territorial jurisdiction. As reported by Bollywood Hungama, Justice Vikas Mahajan, while hearing Wankhede’s plea under the Civil Procedure Code, observed that the Delhi High Court was not the appropriate forum to adjudicate the matter. The court subsequently allowed Wankhede to file his plaint before the City Civil and Sessions Court at Dindoshi, Mumbai.

The High Court also directed both parties to appear before the Mumbai court on February 12, when the matter will be taken up for hearing.

The order comes days after the Delhi High Court dismissed Wankhede’s plea seeking relief against Shah Rukh Khan’s production house Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd and streaming platform Netflix, over his alleged defamatory portrayal in the web series.

What are Sameer Wankhede’s allegations?

Wankhede had filed a defamation suit seeking an injunction and removal of certain scenes from the Netflix series, alleging that they ridicule and malign him. The former NCB officer, who arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan during a high-profile drug raid in Mumbai in 2021, was later cleared of all charges.

In his plea, Wankhede claimed that one of the episodes features a character who bears a strong resemblance to him and is portrayed in a manner intended to damage his reputation. He sought ₹2 crore in damages from Red Chillies Entertainment—owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan—and from Netflix. He also requested a restraint on the publication or further dissemination of any allegedly defamatory content related to him.

About The Ba**ds of Bollywood*

The Ba**ds of Bollywood* marks the directorial debut of Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s son. The series features an ensemble cast including Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh, Manish Chaudhari, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Vijayant Kohli, Rajat Bedi and Gautami Kapoor.

The show follows Aasmaan Singh (Lakshya), an ambitious outsider attempting to break into Bollywood, offering a stylised look at the industry’s glamour, chaos and competitiveness. Produced under the Red Chillies Entertainment banner, the series blends humour and drama in a self-referential narrative.

Netflix describes the show as “the baddest, filmiest show on Earth,” promising high-energy storytelling, cameos and an unapologetic peek into the world of Hindi cinema.