The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has received a complaint seeking action against actor Ranbir Kapoor, Netflix, and the producers of Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Ba**ds of Bollywood* for allegedly promoting e-cigarettes.
The commission has also asked Mumbai Police to register a case under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019.
The complaint stems from episode 7 of the series, where Ranbir Kapoor makes a cameo appearance alongside filmmaker Karan Johar.
In the scene, Ranbir strolls in, exchanges witty barbs with Johar, and then casually asks Anya Singh’s character for a vape.
Activist Vinay Joshi, who filed the complaint, argued that the depiction amounted to glamorising e-cigarettes without any statutory health warning or disclaimer.
He said the portrayal risked influencing young viewers and normalising banned substances.
The petition further claimed that the series spread irresponsible content undermining public health and law enforcement, prompting NHRC to issue notices to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for immediate action.
