It seems Ranbir Kapoor just can’t stay out of the headlines. The popular actor is once again at the center of a big controversy. Many people are now demanding action be taken against him. We’re here to explain what’s causing all this fuss.
The new series, "The Ba***ds of Bollywood," has everyone talking. It was directed by Aryan Khan, who is Shah Rukh Khan’s son. In one scene, Ranbir Kapoor is clearly shown smoking an electronic cigarette. This image has sparked a lot of anger. India’s National Human Rights Commission, known as NHRC, has officially objected to this scene. They even sent a letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, asking for proper action.
NHRC Demands a Complaint
Priyank Kanoongo, a member of the NHRC, shed more light on the situation when speaking with ANI. He shared that a complaint came from an organization called the Legal Rights Observatory. This group pointed out that "The Ba***ds of Bollywood" is available on the Netflix streaming service. The complaint specifically highlighted Ranbir Kapoor’s e-cigarette scene. The organization believes this scene could encourage young people, especially the new generation, to start using e-cigarettes.
#WATCH | Delhi: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo says, “We received a complaint from an organisation called the Legal Rights Observatory. The complainant stated that there is a series called “The Ba***ds of Bollywood” on the Netflix OTT platform. In… https://t.co/o1L7BKfk4r pic.twitter.com/WPViAaLTk4
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2025
Strong Action Taken on Complaint
Kanoongo explained that the NHRC looked into the complaint thoroughly. They found that an e-cigarette Prohibition Act is in place. This law forbids anyone from promoting e-cigarettes. In fact, making, bringing in, selling, or even storing e-cigarettes is a crime here. Because of this, the NHRC sent a notice to the Mumbai Police Commissioner. They asked the police to file a First Information Report, or FIR. This FIR should lead to legal action against the actor, the company that made the show, and the streaming platform. The NHRC also wants action against anyone involved in making, importing, or selling these e-cigarettes.
NHRC seeks Action Taken Report from I&B Ministry & Mumbai Police over Netflix’s ‘Ba*ds of Bollywood’. Ranbir Kapoor shown using a banned e-cigarette without warnings, complaint says it misleads youth. #BadsOfBollywoodReview #ranbirkapoor #nhrc #netflix pic.twitter.com/3Ej7xWdTfI
— Amit Shukla (@amitshukla29) September 22, 2025
Notice Sent to Information and Broadcasting Ministry
Priyank Kanoongo didn’t stop there. He also confirmed that a notice went to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The NHRC has asked the Ministry to remove the problematic content. They also want action to be taken against the streaming platforms involved.
All About ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’
"The Ba***ds of Bollywood" started streaming on Netflix on September 18. This series gives viewers a peek into the Bollywood industry. It stars actors like Laksh Lalwani, Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh, Ananya Singh, and Sehar Bamba. Even some very famous stars made special guest appearances in the show.