New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Thursday dismissed IRS officer Sameer Wankhede’s defamation lawsuit against the Netflix series “Ba***ds of Bollywood,” directed by Aryan Khan, ruling it lacked territorial jurisdiction.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav returned the plaint, directing Wankhede to file in a competent Mumbai court where both he and producer Red Chillies Entertainment are based, reports said.
Wankhede, former NCB zonal director infamous for the 2021 Cordelia cruise drugs case involving Aryan Khan, alleged Episode 1 portrayed a character resembling him making obscene gestures, after reciting “Satyamev Jayate.” He sought Rs 2 crore in damages, content removal, and an injunction against Netflix, Red Chillies (Shah Rukh Khan’s banner), Google, X Corp, and Meta, claiming reputational harm and violation of national honour laws.
Defendants, represented by senior advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Rajiv Nayyar, argued the fictional satire — set at a Bollywood party — didn’t target Wankhede directly. They stressed Mumbai jurisdiction and high defamation thresholds for artistic expression, denying malice despite Aryan Khan’s involvement. Wankhede has been in the public eye following extortion probes against him since 2022.
Wankhede’s counsel, Jai Sai Deepak, countered that Delhi suffered the reputational blow via media and promotions, citing actor admissions linking the character to him. The court, after framing jurisdiction and prima facie harm issues, prioritized venue rules under CPC Order VII Rule 10.
The October 2025 suit, with prior summons issued, now shifts potential battles to Mumbai.
