Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Bads of Bollywood on Netflix is glitzy, outrageous, and self-mocking—poking fun at the industry while keeping you hooked till the end despite itself
Aryan Khan does what he knows best—create the world of Bollywood with all its excesses, passion, glamour, and dark side. The nepo kid’s much-awaited web series on Netflix dropped on September 18. The Bads of Bollywood, created and directed by Shah Rukh Khan’s firstborn Aryan Khan, is produced by Gauri Khan. While the cast itself is an interesting mix of newbies and senior actors, there are also a whole bunch of top stars making guest appearances. Most of Bollywood’s happening people are cast in the series—the few missing ones (like Farah Khan) were seen promoting it big time.
When Aryan was old enough to make an entry into the film world, it was expected that he would soon debut as an actor and, in all probability, be cast in a Karan Johar film. Instead, he chose to direct a web series—and cast Karan Johar in it. That’s some role reversal there!
As for the series, The Bads of Bollywood is set against the world of Hindi cinema and has a pop vibe. The glitz and glamour of the film world that unfolds on screen adds to the glitter.
The show is silly, funny, outrageous, and over-the-top too, but not without its rare moments, which often come wrapped in satire. It is about a young actor, Aasmaan Singh, whose debut film is a superhit and gets picked up by none other than Karan Johar. Cast opposite Aasmaan is Karishma (Sahher Bambba) doing her first film. She happens to be the daughter ofsuperstar Ajay Talwar’s (Bobby Deol) daughter, who hates the idea of her debuting with a newcomer (atleast thats what we think in the beginning) —even more so when he sees her falling in love with Aasmaan.
Even as the rich girl’s father tries his best to sabotage the poor hero, the underworld enters the story, bringing more trouble for our young, angry protagonist. Will he come out of all the chaos like every Bollywood hero who eventually wins? And if he does, how does he manage it despite the odds? Is it just another routine love story—or not? That’s what the rest of the story is all about.
What Works for The B***ds of Bollywood
The Bads of Bollywood, Aryan Khan’s directorial debut, has its fun moments and its lean ones too. The script has it all—love, separation, friendship, hurt, anger, revenge, and all the drama in between. Above all, the audacity of poking fun at the industry from within and from the outside works well for the series. Added to that is the time-tested idea of making a film on Bollywood that promises to show how the industry works, with stars making appearances that keep the momentum going. While the series falters in places, it leverages gags and self-mockery enough to get away with the misses.
Long story short, The Bads of Bollywood is not a great piece of art—but it manages to keep you hooked enough to binge-watch the episodes. It is a simple love story viewed from a new and young director’s lens set against much loved Bollywood – a safe bet but again treated with indulgence and measured criticism – just enough to entertain but not hurt any one. This turns out to be it’s biggest advantage. And, its safe to say Aryan Khan has got a winner on his hands.
The Bads of Bollywood Review
Rating: 2.5/5
