The Delhi High Court recently dismissed the defamation suit filed by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede, which concerned his alleged portrayal in the Netflix series 'The Ba***ds of Bollywood', a show reportedly directed by Aryan Khan. The court's decision was based on a lack of jurisdiction, returning the plaint and allowing Wankhede to pursue the matter in a more appropriate court.
Court's Ruling and Jurisdictional Grounds Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, in delivering the order, emphasized that the plaint was being returned for the petitioner to approach a court with competent jurisdiction. This ruling came during the hearing of Wankhede’s request for an interim injunction aimed at halting the streaming of the series. The court also identified two key issues during arguments:
• Whether the suit was maintainable before the Delhi High Court.
• Whether the alleged objectionable portrayal, when assessed in full context, amounted to defamation or protected artistic expression.
Background of the Defamation Claim Sameer Wankhede initiated a Rs. 2 crore defamation suit, asserting that 'The Ba***ds of Bollywood' contained a veiled depiction of him through its portrayal of a government officer, leading to significant reputational damage. Wankhede's claim links the series indirectly to the controversial 2021 Cordelia Empress cruise drug case, where Aryan Khan was arrested and subsequently cleared of charges. Senior Advocate J Sai Deepak represented Sameer Wankhede in this legal battle.
Defense Arguments by Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix Shah Rukh Khan’s production banner, Red Chillies Entertainment, represented by Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, opposed the plea. Netflix, represented by Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayyar, also presented its arguments. The defense maintained that the series is a work of fiction, broadly inspired by the concept of overzealous law enforcement officers, and thus falls within the scope of creative and artistic expression. They argued that the show neither depicts Sameer Wankhede nor makes any direct reference to the Cordelia cruise case.
