Mumbai – Indian comedian and television host Kapil Sharma has landed in legal trouble after featuring the popular character “Babu Rao” in his Netflix show The Great Indian Kapil Show.
According to Indian media reports, film producer Firoz Nadiadwala has issued a ₹25 crore legal notice, alleging copyright and trademark infringement. The notice claims that the iconic Hera Pheri character, originally portrayed by veteran actor Paresh Rawal, was used in the show without authorization. The role was played by comedian Kiku Sharda in one of the episodes.
The legal notice has not only been sent to Kapil Sharma but also to the show’s streaming platform, Netflix.
Nadiadwala, who owns the rights to the Hera Pheri franchise and its characters, maintains that using “Babu Rao Ganpatrao Apte” without permission constitutes a violation of intellectual property rights.
The Hera Pheri films remain cult classics in India and Pakistan, with Paresh Rawal’s portrayal of Babu Rao gaining immense popularity across generations.
