Delhi High Court Flags ‘Bias’ in Aryan Khan’ Series Against Sameer Wankhede

New Delhi, November 18, 2025: The Delhi High Court’s scrutiny was directed at the web series The Ba*ds of Bollywood, which was created and directed by Aryan Khan and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment. Concerns over apparent bias against former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) official Sameer Wankhede have been raised by the court during the hearing of a defamation suit filed by him.

A plea was filed by Wankhede against the series, alleging that his reputation was damaged by the portrayal of a character who, it is claimed, was clearly inspired by him and his role in the 2021 Cordelia Cruise drug case involving Aryan Khan. Compensation and the removal of the contentious scenes from the show have been demanded in the suit.

While the makers’ argument—that the show is a work of satire—was presented by their legal counsel, the court agreed that the depiction was not without bias, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the history between Aryan Khan and Sameer Wankhede. A comparison of the series’ satire to the works of cartoonist R.K. Laxman was made by the defence counsel; however, this comparison was rejected by the court, as it was observed that Laxman’s works were not shown to carry a similar personal bias.

It was argued by Wankhede’s legal team that his client was being mocked and subjected to a “trial in public opinion” due to the series. The court will continue to hear arguments in the matter on a later date.