The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has formally requested that action be taken over a scene in the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood* in which actor Ranbir Kapoor uses an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) without a warning or disclaimer.
The NHRC has urged the secretary, ministry of information and broadcasting to act, and asked the Mumbai police commissioner to register an FIR against Ranbir Kapoor, the production company, the producers and Netflix.
The complaint claims the portrayal of Ranbir’s character vaping in the series contravenes the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, and could negatively influence youth.
The Ba**ds of Bollywood* marks the much-anticipated directorial debut of Aryan Khan, and is produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment and co-written by Aryan Khan alongside Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan.
The series premiered on September 18 on Netflix.
It consists of seven episodes and features a large ensemble cast including Lakshya Lalwani (as Aasmaan Singh, an outsider trying to break into Bollywood), Bobby Deol, Sahher Bambba, Mona Singh, Raghav Juyal, and others.
The story explores themes of nepotism, fame, ambition, and the challenges faced by those without film family background.
Ranbir Kapoor appears in a cameo, essentially playing himself.
In one scene, his character asks for a puff from a vape by “Sanya” (played by Anya Singh), who is being asked by Karan Johar whether she would leave her current client (played by main lead hero Lakshya) to manage Ranbir.
She declines, prompting Johar to ask Ranbir if it’s the first time he’s been turned down by a woman.
Ranbir humorously clutches his chest and replies, “So, this is how it feels?”
The vaping moment, however, has drawn serious attention.
The NHRC complaint says depicting e-cigarette use without appropriate warnings violates existing Indian law and risks glamourising banned substances to younger audiences.
Authorities have been asked to respond with an action-taken report within two weeks.
As Aryan Khan’s first directorial venture, the series has received intense public and media attention.
It was officially announced earlier this year, with Shah Rukh Khan himself publicly supporting the project, calling himself a “naam ka producer” (a producer in name only) and encouraging fans to support Aryan’s work.
Gauri Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, in collaboration with Netflix, backed the project from the outset.
The NHRC’s intervention has brought attention to how OTT content is regulated in India.
The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, bans the manufacture, sale, and promotion of e-cigarettes.
Critics argue that Netflix and the show’s creators failed to comply with basic legal obligations, such as displaying warnings or disclaimers.
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