Netflix India’s “Bad Boy Billionaires” Show On Hold Following Court Order

In the latest legal tussle faced by the U.S. streaming giant – Netflix in a key market like India, the series ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’ which was slated for release this week has been kept on hold.

The Supreme Court on 2nd September refused to entertain a plea by Netflix for its new web series ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’. Netflix had moved the Top Court against a Bihar lower court order which had restrained it from using the name of businessman Subrata Roy in its upcoming web series ‘Bad Boy
Billionaires’. “We are not granting relief. You should not have come here,” Chief Justice Bobde said, advising Netflix to go to High Court if it wished to challenge the order of the Bihar court.

The bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde however granted liberty to Netflix to approach the Patna High Court against the order passed by a lower court at Araria, Bihar.

Last week, the Araria district court in eastern Bihar ordered a stay on its release after the Sahara group argued it would damage Roy’s reputation.

Netflix promoted the web series “Bad Boy Billionaires” as an “investigative docuseries” that “explores the greed, fraud and corruption that built up - and ultimately brought down - India’s most infamous tycoons”. It is said to be based on the rise and fall of billionaires including Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and other tycoons accused in various cases.

According to sources, the release the series has been put on hold following Patna state court order.

The “Bad Boy Billionaires: India” documentary series about liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, Subrata Roy of the Sahara group, founder and former head of Satyam Computer Services Ramalinga Raju and jeweller Nirav Modi was set for release this week.

Netflix is currently deliberating as to the release of the show and has been kept absolutely on hold.