Mumbai: Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor has come under scrutiny after a scene in the web series The Bastards of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan, showed him using an electronic cigarette. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised concerns that the depiction of a banned product could negatively influence young viewers.
The complaint, filed by Mumbai resident Vinay Joshi, cited the 2019 law prohibiting the production, import, sale, storage, distribution, and promotion of e-cigarettes. Joshi argued that showing Kapoor vaping without any statutory warnings violates the law and may glamorize prohibited products.
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
In response, the NHRC has directed the Mumbai Police to take action against Kapoor, the web series producers, and the streaming platform Netflix. The Commission has also asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to submit a report on the steps taken. NHRC emphasized the need to immediately curb such content to prevent potential adverse effects on youth.