At the end of section 1 of “BA *** DS in Bollywood,” I snapped so loudly that I scared my editor.
It is the premiere of Aryan Khans Netflix series Which ends with the line “Say no to drugs”, spoke directly in the camera as a delicious cheeky reference to Khan’s own drug fees in 2021 which led to almost a month’s prison time. Then, even to be the son of Hindi film industry royalty (Shah Rukh Khan) could not help – but now it has got a voice to one of the most promising talents in Bollywood.
“BA *** DS of Bollywood” follows the rising star in Aasmaan Khan (Lakshya), an industry outsider with a massive hit on his hands and offers rolling in the left and right. In the midst of an uncertain contract situation, he is nabbing a leading role with director Karan Johar (played by himself) and Karishma Talwar (Sahher Bambolba), her first leading role when inheriting her inheritance from her mega -father Ajay (Bobby Deol).
Khan’s main directive is to undermine every trope in the industry he has grown up in, even when “Ba *** DS” leans into his filmmakers tendencies (action sequences and aesthetics in particular). At its best, the series feels like “Hacks” or “The Studio” or Hometown Comp “about Shanti about.” Bollywood A-Lister clock in and out as raised and fun versions of themselves, from a really excellent turn from Johar to Körbyar from Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor and many more (my personal favorite is section 3’s outrageous hospitality). The industry works on a sensitive infrastructure for scare, backbiting and occasional contracts in the midst of endless benefits, and draws Aasmaan through its machining as a rag doll in the wind.
While the story belongs to Aasmaan and Karishma, Casting directors surrounds Karan Mally and Nandini Shrikent the two joints with a dynamic ensemble. It includes Anya Singh as Aasmaan’s manager Sanya, Raghav Juyal as Bestie Parvaiz, Manish Chaudhari as Mustache-Twirling Studio Executive Freddie Sodawallah, Manoj Pahwa as Aasmaan’s uncle Subtar and Mona Singh and Vijayakant Kohli as his parents. Singh and Juyal share most of Lakshya’s scenes, but their characters have little or no identity outside Aasmaan – a deficiency that reveals itself in correlation with the series that softens its bite under seven sections, and shifts focus to the tension between Aasmaan, Karishma and Ajay and its upset highlight.
Through all, Khan shows unmatched loyalty to his more than slightly chaotic voice, even when he risks disoriented the audience. This is not your standard hero trip, love story or family drama, and independence will run that home further. It is also not particularly interested in finding the most tasty offbeat path; From curse to sex to violence, anyone can find something to go as much as laughing.
Just as this author/director took a hard left from his career on the screen has adopted for him since birth, his own creation defies expectations and crafts something much more memorable than any lukewarm nepo debut.
“BA *** DS of Bollywood” is now flowing on Netflix.
