Aryan Khan clarifies intent behind 'The Ba***ds of Bollywood' amid Sameer Wankhede defamation case

Aryan Khan has opened up about his directorial debut, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, emphasising that the show was intended to be “self-deprecating, but not disrespectful anywhere.”

The series, which premiered on Netflix on September 18, 2025, has attracted attention for its satirical take on Bollywood’s inner workings.

Aryan said that they had aimed to be self-deprecating without being disrespectful, and he felt they had maintained that balance correctly. He explained that the guardrails were mostly self-imposed, as creating content about the industry while being part of it requires a great deal of respect. He added that the ability to take jokes about oneself is the most important aspect of comedy, and that people were extremely sporting. He also noted that they had made an effort not to push boundaries toward disrespect, focusing only on self-deprecation.

His remarks come amid a defamation suit filed by former Mumbai zonal Narcotics Control Bureau chief Sameer Wankhede. On September 25, Wankhede approached the Delhi High Court seeking Rs 2 crore in damages from Shah Rukh Khan and Red Chillies Entertainment, the producers of the series, over his depiction in Episode 1. In the episode, a character inspired by Wankhede is shown outside a Bollywood party, searching for stars using drugs.

Wankhede alleged that the series “deliberately conceptualised and executed with the intent to malign Sameer Wankhede's reputation in a colourable and prejudicial manner,” highlighting that his ongoing case with Aryan Khan in the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai was still pending.

He further claimed that the series included offensive content, including a character making a middle-finger gesture while reciting the national slogan “Satyamev Jayate,” violating the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. He also argued that the show contravened provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The Delhi High Court has issued a summons to Red Chillies Entertainment and others. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked the defendants to file a reply within seven days, with a rejoinder due three days after. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi represented Wankhede, while Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayyar appeared for some defendants.

During a prior hearing, the Court questioned the choice of Delhi as the jurisdiction for the suit.

Justice Kaurav noted, “Your plaint is not maintainable. I am rejecting your plaint. Had your case been that you were defamed at various places, including Delhi, and that maximum damage occurred here, we would have still considered it.” He added that the plaint did not properly establish how the civil suit would lie in Delhi, particularly in paragraphs 37 and 38.

The Ba***ds of Bollywood follows Aasmaan, an aspiring young man navigating the glamorous yet challenging world of Bollywood.

Produced by Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the series was created by Aryan Khan along with co-creators Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan. It features an ensemble cast including Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Raghav Juyal, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh, Manish Chaudhari, Anya Singh, Vijayant Kohli, Gautami Kapoor, and Rajat Bedi.

The show has sparked a global social media frenzy, with fans recreating scenes and boosting views of Bobby Deol's 1997 hit Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela to over five million. The series also had a high-profile promotional campaign, with posters in Times Square, New York, and at London train stations, including King's Cross and Liverpool Street. Aryan Khan, along with Raghav Juyal and Bobby Deol, also promoted the series internationally, including a stop in Dubai during the Asia Cup.