Key Points:
Firoz Nadiadwala, producer of the Hera Pheri franchise, has sent a Rs 25 crore legal notice to Netflix India.
The notice cites copyright and trademark infringement, accusing the show of using Baburao for commercial gain without permission.
He has demanded removal of the skit from all platforms, a written undertaking to prevent future use of the character.
The Kapil Sharma Show has landed in legal trouble for copyright infringement. The show has stirred itself into a string of controversies. The Netflix show’s much-awaited finale, featuring Hera Pheri actor Akshay Kumar as a guest, has been slapped with a legal notice of Rs 25 crore by producer Firoz Nadiadwala.
The promo for the final episode showed a glimpse of a skit with comedian Kiku Sharda portraying the widely popular character from Hera Pheri — Baburao Ganpatrao Apte.
The producer of the iconic Hera Pheri franchise has accused Netflix and the producers of the show of using Baburao for commercial gain without permission.
Producer Nadiadwala said in a statement that, "Baburao is not just a character, but the soul of Hera Pheri.” He further shared the legacy behind the character, which was “built with our sweat, vision, and creativity.”
Nadiadwala praised actor Paresh Rawal for putting his heart and soul into the character, who is widely loved by the fans. “Paresh Rawal ji nurtured the role with his heart and soul,” said Nadiadwala. He added, “No one has the right to misuse it for commercial gain. Culture is not for exploitation; it is for preservation.”
In an interview with Mid-day, Nadiadwala expressed his shock after seeing the promo of the latest episode of Netflix’s The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show.
He said, “I was shocked and dismayed to see The Great Indian Kapil Show’s promo featuring the character of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte aka Babu Bhaiyya in a buffoonish manner.”
Nadiadwala’s legal team served the notice to Netflix on 18 September 2025. The notice cited multiple violations, including copyright and trademark infringement, and misusing the character for commercial gain.
Sana Raees Khan, lawyer of Nadiadwala, stated that the use of Baburao’s character is not just infringement, “it is blatant theft for commercial gain.” She said that the law will not allow the dilution of rights “that have been lawfully earned and zealously protected.”
“These rights will be defended with the full force of legal action so that no one treats a creative legacy as a free commodity for exploitation,” said Sana.
Nadiadwala has reportedly demanded Rs 25 crore for violating the copyright to his personal property. His team has mandated the removal of the scene from all platforms where the character is Baburao.
They have stated that if the scenes are not removed before broadcasting the episode, additional legal consequences will follow. The team has also demanded an undertaking in written format stating that the character will not be used in the future. Along with a public apology, Nadiadwala has demanded monetary compensation of Rs 25 crore from Netflix India and the show’s producers.
[Rh/VS]
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