Aryan Khan's directorial debut, The Ba*ds of Bollywood, now streaming on Netflix, is a satirical take on the Hindi film industry, blending campiness with moments of sobering exposition on stardom. Co-created and co-written by Aryan Khan, Bilal Siddiqi, and Manav Chauhan, the series offers a peek into the glitzy yet chaotic world of Bollywood.
The show revolves around Aasmaan Singh (Lakshya), an ambitious young actor from Delhi, who becomes an overnight sensation after his film Revolver becomes a hit. He lands a movie deal with Karan Johar but finds himself in a soup when he already has a three-film deal with Sodawallah Productions. Further complicating matters is Ajay Talwar (Bobby Deol), a reigning superstar who is reluctant to let his daughter, Karishma (Sahher Bamba), debut alongside Aasmaan.
The Ba*ds of Bollywood doesn't shy away from hot-button topics like nepotism. In the first episode, the series directly addresses the "nepo kids" discourse. The show uses humor to redeem itself, with cameos that keep the energy high. Shah Rukh Khan appears briefly, and other stars like Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor also make appearances. Emraan Hashmi's meta fan-moment is particularly hilarious.
The series also stars Raghav Juyal, Mona Singh, Gautami Kapoor, and Manoj Pahwa. Manoj Pahwa and Raghav Juyal are a laugh riot, while Bobby Deol is compelling as a superstar. Mona Singh and Vijay Kohli bring a sense of realism to the show as Aasmaan's parents.
While the series has its strengths, it also has its flaws. The romance track is undercooked, and the pacing is uneven. Some tropes are worn out, and some characters are caricatures. The show occasionally loses its grip, especially when it transitions into a straight-up romance with commercial elements of action and sabotage.
Despite its flaws, The Ba*ds of Bollywood is a promising start for Aryan Khan. His self-awareness and refusal to act holier-than-thou set the series apart. The show is funny, and Aryan manages to handle a sprawling ensemble cast while keeping the tone cheeky. Aryan Khan proves that he is worthy of his surname with this debut.
