Netflix’s The Great Indian Kapil sued for Rs 25 crore producer Firoz Nadiadwala over Baburao skit: ‘No one has the right to misuse it for commercial gain’ | Bollywood News

Just ahead of its much-anticipated finale featuring Akshay Kumar, The Great Indian Kapil Show has found itself embroiled in legal controversy. Producer Firoz A. Nadiadwala has issued a Rs 25 crore legal notice to Netflix and the show’s creators, alleging unauthorised use of the character Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from Hera Pheri.  The dispute centers around a promo where comedian Kiku Sharda appears as Baburao, a role immortalised Paresh Rawal in the Hera Pheri franchise.
Nadiadwala, who holds the rights to the character, claims this portrayal was done without consent, accusing the show of copyright infringement under Section 51 of the Copyright Act and trademark infringement under Section 29 of the Trademarks Act. “Baburao is not just a character, but the soul of Hera Pheri,” Nadiadwala emphasised, as reported Mint, adding that this legacy should not be exploited for “wrongful commercial gain.” In an official statement, Nadiadwala further expressed, “This legacy was built with our sweat, vision, and creativity. Paresh Rawal ji nurtured the role with his heart and soul. No one has the right to misuse it for commercial gain. Culture is not for exploitation; it is for preservation.”
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The legal notice outlines several demands: the immediate removal of the Baburao segment from Netflix, social media, and affiliated platforms; a written assurance that the character will not be used again without explicit permission; a formal apology within 24 hours; and compensation amounting to Rs 25 crore to be paid within two days. The notice warns that failure to comply will result in civil and criminal action. Despite the ongoing dispute, the finale episode featuring Akshay Kumar is still scheduled to stream on September 20. However, should the case escalate, Netflix may be compelled to edit or withdraw the contested skit. Nadiadwala’s legal team has made it clear that Baburao is a regered trademark, cautioning that “no one has the liberty to treat a creative legacy as a free-for-all.”
This controversy comes amid the show’s third season, which premiered on Netflix in June, and had Salman Khan as the guest in its premiere episode. Since then, it featured appearances celebrities such as Sara Ali Khan, Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Shilpa Shetty, Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi, and Jaideep Ahlawat, among others. The season also marked the return of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the judge, alongside Archana Puran Singh.