Former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede has claimed that his family is being harassed online after he filed a case against Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix over the series The Ba***ds of Bollywood. He said that people from Pakistan, the UAE and Bangladesh have been sending hate messages to him and his family after the case was filed.
Shah Rukh Khan Fans Sending Threats To Sameer Wankhede And His Family?
Wankhede (who once served as the Narcotics Control Bureau’s zonal director) took legal action because he believes the show shows him in a “wrong light.” The series was produced by Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies Entertainment and has been in the spotlight since its release. It allegedly draws inspiration from real-life events linked to the 2021 drug case involving Aryan Khan.
Speaking to ANI, Wankhede said, “My personal belief is that this has nothing to do with my job or my profession. In my personal capacity, I have approached the Delhi High Court. I wouldn’t like to comment on the court proceedings or the issues involved because the matter has been sub judice.”
He said the series not only defames him but also insults people who work hard to fight drug abuse. Wankhede added, “We have regularly informed the police about the threats that my sister and my wife keep getting. I will not accept that because of me, they are facing the brunt of it.”
Reports say that Wankhede’s family has been facing a large number of online trolls and threats ever since the show started streaming.
How Aryan Khan Defended His Series
Meanwhile, Aryan Khan (who created the series) has defended his work. He said the show uses satire and exaggeration and is not meant to be taken seriously.
Addressing the backlash, Aryan said, “We did get some notes on certain scenes where they were like – Oh, this is too this, or this is too that, but then I took a stand. If you don’t like it, I mean, the show is not meant for you… Your 18-year-old kid might like it, or your uncle might like it who enjoys certain kinds of humour.”
He explained that The Ba***ds of Bollywood mixes real-life references with fiction. Aryan clarified, “We were pushing it for screen, obviously, but obviously, there’ll be things that are inspired. There’ll be scenes that are inspired by certain realities, and there’ll be exaggerations. It’s not, obviously, a documentary.”
The Delhi High Court has now issued summons to Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, X Corp, Google and Meta in connection with Wankhede’s defamation case. The next hearing is set for October 30.
For the unversed, the series features Lakshya, Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Manoj Pahwa and Sahher Bambba in key roles. There are cameos by SS Rajamouli, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Disha Patani and more.
