By Ayesha Khan 
Mumbai, September 20: Trouble has knocked on Netflix’s door, and the knock comes in the voice of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte. Or at least, someone pretending to be him.
Producer Firoz A. Nadiadwala, the man behind the Hera Pheri films, has fired off a legal notice worth a staggering ₹25 crore against Netflix and the makers of The Great Indian Kapil Show. The complaint? A promo for the show’s finale, where comedian Kiku Sharda appeared in Baburao’s trademark getup, round glasses, awkward gait, and that unmistakable Paresh Rawal accent.
A Gag That Backfired
For audiences, it might have felt like a harmless throwback. But for Nadiadwala, it was an unauthorized hijacking of one of his most valuable creations. The notice, first reported by Hindustan Times, says Netflix and the comedy team crossed the line, violating both copyright and trademark laws.
The demands are blunt pull down the act from every platform, issue a written promise never to repeat it, deliver a formal apology in 24 hours, and wire over ₹25 crore within two days. A tall order, even by Bollywood standards.
Why This Character Isn’t Just Comedy
Baburao isn’t just another comic sketch. He is cinema folklore. Since Hera Pheri (2000), Paresh Rawal’s version of the bumbling landlord has lived on in memes, mimicry, and a thousand punchlines. His dialogues echo in cricket stadiums, classrooms, even political rallies.
But behind the laughter is an economic reality Baburao is a franchise in himself. And with Hera Pheri 3 on the way, the producer is fiercely protective. In Nadiadwala’s eyes, letting others borrow the character for laughs risks diluting its market value.
The Legal Grey Zone
Here is where things get messy. Comedy thrives on imitation. Every Indian comic show has leaned on film characters at some point. But parody is a slippery slope in Indian law. Unlike the US, which gives parody more breathing space, India has no blanket protection.
Courts here tend to ask whether the parody was harmless, or did it commercially exploit someone else’s creation? Since Netflix used the sketch as part of a promo campaign, that distinction could weigh against them.
A Headache For Netflix, An Identity Crisis For Kapil
For Netflix, this is an embarrassment at the wrong time. The Great Indian Kapil Show is meant to be one of its crown jewels in India, pulling big names like Akshay Kumar and trying to hook global audiences.
For Kapil Sharma, the issue cuts deeper. His comedy style is built on impersonation and spoofs of Bollywood tropes. If characters like Baburao become legally untouchable, it raises a troubling question: can Indian comedy still play with its biggest cultural references, or is everything suddenly a courtroom risk?
Why The Industry Is Watching Closely
The fight is larger than one sketch. Bollywood producers are no longer casual about old characters. With OTT platforms breathing new life and money into film libraries, characters are being treated like intellectual property goldmines.
That means Baburao today is seen in the same light as superheroes in Hollywood not just a role, but a brand. What happens with this case could decide whether comedians and content creators will need explicit licenses to riff on popular characters in the future.
What Lies Ahead
So far, silence from Netflix and Kapil Sharma’s team. Industry chatter suggests this could end in a settlement; both sides have reputations to protect. But the aggressive deadlines in the notice of apology in 24 hours, damages in 48 hours suggest Nadiadwala is not bluffing.
In the end, Baburao, the man who once kept audiences rolling with laughter, is now at the center of a very different kind of drama. And whether this fight is resolved quietly or played out in court, it has already forced Indian entertainment to confront a question it has long avoided when does a tribute turn into theft?
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- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
