In the glittering and treacherous world of Bollywood, where dreams are made in spotlights and broken in scandals, Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Bads of Bollywood explodes onto Netflix like a firecracker with dynamite. Released on September 19, 2025 this 7 episode web series is a wild cocktail of meta humor, unfiltered roasts and heartfelt jabs at the industry that birthed it. Pronounced innocently as “The Bads” the title’s asterisks hint at a dirtier truth revealed in the last episode and turns the show into a mirror held up to Bollywood’s dirty secrets—nepotism, exploitation and the lines between reel and real life getting blurred.
At its heart The Ba*ds of Bollywood is about Aasmaan Singh (Lakshya) a wide eyed Delhi boy who becomes an overnight sensation after his debut film becomes a blockbuster. Fame catapults him into the orbit of Freddy Sodawallah (Manish Chaudhari) a smooth producer who has ironclad contracts that trap aspiring stars in a web of control. Aasmaan’s whirlwind romance with Karishma Talwar (Sahher Bambba) the fiery daughter of fading superstar Ajay Talwar (Bobby Deol) adds to the personal chaos in his professional life. As Aasmaan navigates betrayals, blackmail and boardroom battles the series peels back the glamour to expose the industry’s “doglapan” – a Hindi slang for cut throat dealings that feels like something out of the headlines today.
Aryan Khan, son of Shah Rukh Khan, uses his privilege in a way that is both a blessing and a curse. He guides with the confidence of someone who’s used to being in the spotlight and delivers a performance that’s both a satire and a tribute. The show is self-referential, with cameos from big stars that poke fun at nepotism. The story is based on real events, including famous arrests and industry feuds. One segment is a hilarious send up of a poorly conducted roundtable discussion, turning awkward silences into comedy gold. His screenplay, co-written with a team of great writers, balances a lot of humor with some smart critique so even when it hurts it’s funny.
Performances take it to must-watch level. Lakshya is the everyman, his innocence masking the cynicism that every outsider has towards Bollywood. Sahher Bambba is electric as Karishma, her character’s journey from rebellious heiress to reluctant insider steals scenes with raw emotion. Bobby Deol is career best as the egomaniac Ajay, his monologues are a masterclass in over the top drama. Manish Chaudhari is a villain you love to hate, slithering through boardrooms with oily charm. Starry cameos from industry veterans to full blown appearances add to the festive feel, it’s like a who’s who of Bollywood with inside baseball.
Visually, it’s a treat: the cinematography is lush, capturing Mumbai’s neon nights and opulent sets, and the contrast between the characters’ shiny exteriors and hollow interiors. The soundtrack is a remix of Bollywood tropes with modern beats – think remixed classics playing during a producer’s tantrum. The action scenes are surprisingly slick for a satire and the editing is relentless, with episodes that are bingeable and rarely drag.
But for all its brilliance, The Ba*ds of Bollywood isn’t perfect. Some plot points are a bit of a stretch – like a romance that unfolds too quickly, just like the emotional beats in commercial cinema. The humour sometimes goes into forced territory, relying on cuss-laden rants that thrill but don’t always make the characters more than archetypes. It’s indulgent, as you’d expect from a nepo kid’s vanity project, but Khan’s gutsy honesty – using potential backlash as comedy – earns forgiveness.
The finale is where the series truly goes off. A bombshell drops familial secrets, blackmail schemes and a meta announcement that flips the title on its head and sets up Season 2. Producer Freddy now has a partner in crime Jaraj Saxena (Rajat Bedi) and pitches a biopic starring Aasmaan and Karishma as themselves: The Bastards of Bollywood. It’s a genius move, blurring fiction and reality and a sly wink at how the industry eats its own stories.
In an era of clean streaming content, The Ba*ds of Bollywood is a messy delight—a cheesy, cussing carnival that roasts without shame and loves without apology. 8/10. Must watch for anyone who’s ever wondered what happens when Bollywood looks in the mirror. Aryan Khan hasn’t just entered the game; he’s rewritten the rules and proved that the best way to conquer the bastards is to become one. Stream now and get ready to laugh, cringe and cheer for the underdogs who dare to dream in the City of Dreams.