Baburao Style Copyright: Firoz Nadiadwala Slaps Netflix with ₹25-Crore Legal Notice After Kapil Show Act

What was meant to be a laughter-filled evening on The Great Indian Kapil Show has spiraled into a full-blown legal storm. Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, in his signature style, arrived to promote Jolly LLB 3. The audience roared with delight, jokes flew across the stage, and comedian Kiku Sharda stepped in as "Baburao"-the legendary, bumbling character immortalized by Paresh Rawal in Hera Pheri.

But the punchline didn't land well outside the studio.

Within hours, producer Firoz Nadiadwala unleashed a thunderous legal notice, accusing Netflix and the show's creators of trespassing into sacred cinematic territory. His claim? Baburao is not just a character-it's the very heartbeat of Hera Pheri. And no one, he says, has the right to exploit it for laughs without his blessing.

"Baburao is the soul of Hera Pheri," Nadiadwala declared in a fiery statement. "This legacy was built with vision and sweat. Paresh Rawal gave it life with his soul. No one will misuse it for commercial gain. Culture must be preserved, not plundered."

The legal salvo isn't just symbolic-it's heavy.

Netflix has been accused of copyright infringement under Section 51 of the Copyright Act, 1957.

The use of "Baburao" is labeled as trademark infringement under Section 29, since the name is officially registered with the Nadiadwala family.

Sections of the Copyright Act have been invoked to reinforce the claim.

And the demands? Nothing short of dramatic:

Immediate removal of all Baburao segments from Netflix, social media, and partner platforms.

A written apology and assurance within 24 hours.

A jaw-dropping ₹25 crore compensation-within two days.

Failure, Nadiadwala warns, will ignite both civil and criminal proceedings.

Backing him is his lawyer, former Bigg Boss 17 contestant Sana Rais Khan, who thundered: "This content was stolen for commercial gain. Our client owns these rights, and they will be protected. Creative legacies cannot be looted in the name of entertainment."

Meanwhile, the very episode that triggered this uproar-Akshay Kumar's finale appearance on The Great Indian Kapil Show-streams today. Ironically, the show that had audiences in stitches has now left the industry holding its breath.