The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Mumbai Police Commissioner following a complaint against the Netflix web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
The complaint alleges that actor Ranbir Kapoor is shown using e-cigarettes on screen without any health warnings or statutory disclaimers, in violation of Indian law.
The NHRC, in its communication to the Ministry, has urged the government to take “appropriate action” to prohibit such content on OTT platforms, citing concerns about its influence on impressionable viewers, particularly the youth, said news agency ANI.
In a separate notice, the Commission has also written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner recommending that an FIR be registered against Ranbir Kapoor, the producers, the production company, and Netflix. This recommendation is based on alleged violations of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, which bans the production, sale, and advertisement of e-cigarettes in India.
The complaint that prompted the NHRC’s action claimed that the series promotes the use of banned e-cigarettes while failing to display mandatory anti-smoking disclaimers an apparent breach of legal and ethical broadcasting standards.
As of now, neither Netflix nor Ranbir Kapoor or the series’ production team have issued an official response to the allegations.
The Ba**ds of Bollywood Draws Praise Despite Controversy
Meanwhile, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which marks Aryan Khan’s directorial debut, continues to earn positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.
In its review, the Hindustan Times writes, “The USP of Ba***ds are not the cameos or the glitz. It is an almost behind-the-scenes look at Bollywood’s underbelly. It comes from a man who has grown up watching all this around himself, Aryan Khan. So, there is some amount of credibility to it. But Aryan chooses to do it in an unserious manner, where everything is a joke, almost like a badly-written blind or Reddit post. But this tone works because of how lightly the film industry is taken by the general population. Aryan pokes fun at Bollywood and its high and mighty in a downright silly manner, which makes you wonder if it is all too silly at times.”
Produced by Gauri Khan under the Red Chillies Entertainment banner, the series features a dynamic ensemble cast including Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, Mona Singh, Anya Singh, Manoj Pahwa, and Gautami Kapoor. The Ba***ds of Bollywood premiered on Netflix this past Thursday.
