Mumbai, Sep 22
Trouble seems to be mounting for actor Ranbir Kapoor as the National Human Rights Commission has directed Mumbai Police to register a case against him, the producers of “The Ba***ds of Bollywood,†and Netflix.
According to the latest reports, the move comes over the alleged depiction and promotion of e-cigarettes in one of the show’s scenes, which reportedly featured Kapoor using an e-cigarette without any warning or disclaimer, in violation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019.
As per the complainant, Vinay Joshi, one scene shows Ranbir Kapoor using an e-cigarette without displaying any warning or disclaimer.In his complaint, Vinay further claimed that the scene was publicly streamed, potentially misleading or negatively influencing young viewers by glamorizing the use of banned substances. He expressed concerns that such content is irresponsible, encourages illegal behavior, undermines law enforcement, and poses risks to public health and societal values.
The commission has sent a notice to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, calling for swift measures to ban content that could have a harmful impact on young audiences. Additionally, the Mumbai Police Commissioner has reportedly been instructed to investigate the identities and activities of electronic cigarette manufacturers and importers.
Authorities have been given a two-week deadline to submit their action report to the commission.
Directed by Aryan Khan, The “Ba***ds of Bollywood†boasts a star-studded ensemble including Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Mona Singh, Manish Chaudhari, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Manoj Pahwa, and Vijayant Kohli, with Rajat Bedi and Gautami Kapoor in pivotal roles.
It also features special appearances by Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Disha Patani, Orry, Shanaya Kapoor, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Rajkummar Rao, and Sara Ali Khan.
The series, which offered a satirical take on Bollywood, premiered on 18 September 2025 on Netflix.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Actually, I support this action. E-cigarettes are banned for a reason - they're harmful. When celebrities show it on screen without disclaimers, young fans might think it's cool. We need to be responsible about content.
Watched the series yesterday. The e-cigarette scene is literally 2 seconds long! NHRC has bigger issues to handle than this. Our country has real problems needing attention.
As a parent, I appreciate this move. Streaming platforms need to be more careful about what they show. Children are very impressionable and celebrity influence is huge in India.
Poor Ranbir! He's just acting as per the script. The real responsibility lies with the director and producers. Aryan Khan should have been more careful in his debut project.
While I understand the concern, this sets a dangerous precedent for creative freedom. Tomorrow they'll object to drinking scenes, then romantic scenes... where does it end? 🎬
The series is actually quite good and the satire is brilliant. It's unfortunate that such a small detail is overshadowing Aryan's directorial talent. Hope this gets resolved quickly!
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