Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Ba***ds of Bollywood dropped on September 18 and has been winning attention for the star power packed into it. With as many as 21 celebrity cameos, the show keeps fans hooked with one surprise after another. Among them, A-lister Ranbir Kapoor’s brief appearance has now become a talking point — not just for the punchy exchange he shares with Karan Johar, but also for a controversy it has triggered.
Ranbir’s cameo
Ranbir shows up in the seventh episode, playing himself in a scene where Karan Johar introduces Anya Singh’s character as his potential manager. He strolls in casually, sasses KJo with a cheeky “F**k all jacket, Karan,” only to get an equally sassy “Oh, f**k you too” in return. Moments later, he asks Anya’s character for a vape, a detail that has now snowballed into a legal issue.
What’s happening?
The National Human Rights Commission has stepped in, asking Mumbai Police to register a case against Ranbir Kapoor, the show’s producers, and Netflix. The allegation? That the series promoted e-cigarettes in violation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019. According to the complaint filed by activist Vinay Joshi, Ranbir was shown smoking an e-cigarette without a health warning or disclaimer, which he argued could influence young audiences and normalise banned substances.
The complaint further accused the show of spreading irresponsible content that undermines public health and law enforcement while glorifying an illegal product. Acting on this, the NHRC issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to take immediate action against such depictions. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police Commissioner has reportedly also been asked to investigate the supply chains of e-cigarettes, and submit a report within two weeks.
About The Ba***ds of Bollywood
Backed by Red Chillies Entertainment, the show’s heart is Aasmaan Singh (played by Lakshya Lalwani), an ambitious outsider striving to make his mark in the film industry. His journey exposes him to the glamour, chaos, and ruthless competitiveness of Bollywood.
The series features an 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 key roles. Furthermore, the show also features extended appearances by Karan Johar, as well as Ranveer Singh, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Disha Patani, Orry, Shanaya Kapoor, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Rajkummar Rao, and Sara Ali Khan. Later episodes bring in Aamir Khan, SS Rajamouli, Badshah, Emraan Hashmi, and Arshad Warsi.
