New Delhi: Sameer Wankhede had approached the Delhi High Court against the Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood and Shah Rukh Khan over his portrayal in this Aryan Khan-directed web series.
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court issued summons to Red Chillies Entertainment Private Limited and others in a civil defamation suit filed by the former Mumbai Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Sameer Wankhede.
Sameer Wankhede On Notice Issued By The Delhi High Court
Sharing his views on the notice, Sameer Wankhede said, "Main yeh kehna chahunga jo satya hota hai, usiki jeet hoti hai. Yeh toh shuruwat hai. Mujhe poora vishwas hai ki mujhe zaroor rihaai milegi. Abhi notice issue hua hai Delhi High Court ki taraf se. October 30 ko aage ki hearing hogi."
Sameer Wankhede On His "Objections" To The Ba***ds of Bollywood
In the first episode of The Ba***ds of Bollywood, a character heavily inspired by Sameer Wankhede appears outside a Bollywood party, looking for people from the film industry who are using drugs.
When asked what aspects angered him the most, Wankhede said, "Jo bhi cheezein objectionable hain, woh main ne already court ke saamne prastut ki hain. Main sirf court par vishwas rakhta hoon. Jo outcome aayega, aap dekhenge."
Sameer Wankhede On His Family Receiving Threats From Different Countries
When asked about messages from different countries attacking his family amid the ongoing defamation lawsuit, Sameer Wankhede responded that he is a government officer and that this has nothing to do with his family.
He added, "Agar iss cheez ke vajah se mere parivaar mein mahilaon ko, kisi fan club se - Bangladesh, Pakistan, ya UAE se - dhamkiyan aur gande shabd aa rahe hain, toh main yeh nyayalay ke saamne rakhunga. Humne pehle hi 100 pages ke message court ke saamne rakhe hain. Mujhe 100% vishwas hai ki court isko dekhegi."
Background
On September 25 this year, Wankhede filed a defamation suit seeking Rs 2 crore in damages from Shah Rukh Khan and Red Chillies Entertainment, the producers of The Ba***ds of Bollywood. He stated that the damages would be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for patient treatment.
In his statement, Wankhede said that The Ba***ds of Bollywood had been "deliberately conceptualised and executed with the intent to malign Sameer Wankhede's reputation in a colourable and prejudicial manner," particularly since the case involving him and Aryan Khan remains pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.
He further added, "The series, inter alia, depicts a character making an obscene gesture - specifically, showing a middle finger after reciting the slogan 'Satyamev Jayate', which is part of the National Emblem. This act constitutes a grave and sensitive violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which attracts penal consequences under law."
"In addition, the content of the series contravenes various provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as it seeks to outrage national sentiment through the use of obscene and offensive material," Wankhede claimed.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued a summons (notice) on Wankhede's plea against Red Chillies Entertainment and others. The High Court has asked them to file a reply within seven days, with the petitioner to file a rejoinder within three days thereafter.
The matter came up before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi appeared for Wankhede, while Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayyar appeared for some of the defendants.
During the previous hearing, the High Court had asked Wankhede's counsel about the cause of action for filing the suit in Delhi. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi argued that since the series was intended for audiences across cities, including Delhi, and memes targeting Wankhede were also circulating in the Capital, jurisdiction was established.
However, the Court expressed reservations.
"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 considered it," Justice Kaurav observed.
Citing Section 9 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC), the Court pointed out that the plaint had not properly set out how the civil suit would lie in Delhi, particularly in paragraphs 37 and 38. On Sethi's request for time to amend the plaint, the judge clarified, "I am not giving any date. The Registry will give the date once the application is listed."
About The Ba***ds
The show follows an aspiring young man named Aasmaan, determined to make it big. He and his friends navigate the trials and tribulations of Bollywood's glamorous yet unsettling world.
Produced by Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the series is created by Aryan Khan along with co-creators Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan, who also wrote the show.
The series has triggered a global social media frenzy, with fans recreating scenes. Bobby Deol's 1997 hit Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela has returned to the spotlight with over five million new views following the show's release.
It also benefited from a high-profile media campaign, with posters displayed at Times Square in New York and major train stations across London, including King's Cross and Liverpool Street. Aryan Khan, along with Raghav Juyal and Bobby Deol, made an international stop in Dubai during the Asia Cup.
Featuring 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 series captures both the glamour and the grind of chasing Bollywood dreams.
In A Nutshell
Sameer Wankhede opens up about threats faced by the women in his family amid the ongoing defamation case against The Ba***ds of Bollywood. He reiterated that he has full faith in justice being served.
ALSO READ | "Wanted To Be Self-Deprecating, Not Disrespectful": Aryan Khan On Ba***ds Of Bollywood Amid Sameer Wankhede Defamation Lawsuit
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