The Delhi High Court on Monday resumed hearing former NCB official Sameer Wankhede’s defamation plea against The Ba***ds Of Bollywood. The court pulled up Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix, noting that while the show may be satirical, its portrayal of Wankhede appeared biased.

According to a report in NDTV, Wankhede sued Red Chillies, Netflix, and Aryan Khan for defamation. Aryan, actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son was arrested by Wankhede in 2021 when he was with the Narcotics Control Bureau, but later all charges against him were dropped. The IRS officer asked the court, “Do I deserve this trial in public opinion?”

Wankhede’s lawyer J Sai Deepak, cited self-proclaimed film critic Kamaal R Khan’s (KRK) post on X to demonstrate the threats and mockery he faced after the show aired. “The show has convinced people that I have no integrity — chor, and what else?” the lawyer said on Wankhede’s behalf

Appearing for Red Chillies, senior advocate Neeraj Kaul defended the show’s satire, saying, “I am entitled to do this. You are putting a gun to my head in the plaint. Of course, I can say that I am inspired by characters....Every producer, paparazzi can appear tomorrow, (saying) my face resembles.”

The advocate noted that cartoonist R K Laxman could satirically critique the Prime Minister, calling it a source of national pride. The court responded that, unlike The Ba***ds Of Bollywood, Laxman’s work showed no bias, unlike the context involving Aryan and Wankhede. The Delhi HC will continue hearing the matter on November 26.