'The Ba***ds of Bollywood' Review: Aryan Khan delivers a masala, meta, mad ride that Bollywood deserves

The Ba***ds of Bollywood

Now streaming on Netflix

Cast: Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahherr Bambba, Anya Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh & more

Directed by: Aryan Khan

Produced by: Gauri Khan

Rating - ***1/2 (3.5/5)

There is no tiptoeing around it. Aryan Khan has not walked into Bollywood with a safe and polite debut. He has charged in, middle finger raised, and delivered a show that is messy, corny, chaotic, but also wildly entertaining.

The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is everything the title promises and more. It is unapologetic, unfiltered, and brimming with digs at the industry that raised him, chewed him, and spat him out before he even began. The ride is ridiculous, the jokes cut deep, and the masala is both the flavour and the philosophy.

The Masala Begins With A Bang

The show opens with a set-piece that feels like a Bollywood fever dream. A stunt, a blast of music, and the entry of Aasman Singh played by Lakshya with all the swagger you can imagine.

The camera glides from a VFX backdrop into a film set in one fluid move, and it is so slick you wonder why YRF, with all its budgets, cannot pull off something as seamless.

This is masala logic at its peak. Fights break physics, explosions come out of nowhere, and yet you are hooked because the leading man sells it with absolute conviction. Aasman Singh is written as flamboyant, arrogant, and pompous.

Normally this might alienate audiences, but Aryan uses that arrogance as the very core of the character, a choice that feels risky but lands beautifully.

The Industry Gets Ripped Apart

Very quickly, Aryan establishes that this is not just a show about a hero and his journey. It is a mirror cracked wide open on the industry itself. Every scene feels like a sly nod or a brutal jab at Bollywood’s shallow glamour and deep dysfunction.

The references do not trickle in, they pour in, and the result is a show that keeps you grinning at every Easter egg.

We see deals being made and broken, egos stroked and then slaughtered, critics pitted against stars in battles of pride and survival. Aryan captures the absurdity of film deals collapsing overnight, actors backstabbing one another, and producers flipping sides with the speed of a WhatsApp rumor.

And then there are the dialogues. When Karan Johar says, “My movie saved your fucking career,” and Ranveer Singh fires back with “My performance saved your fucking movie,” it does not feel like fiction. It feels like the industry finally saying the things it always whispers behind closed doors. It is sharp, hilarious, and cathartic.

Cameo Galore Without Force

Bollywood cameos often feel like decorations slapped onto a dull cake. Aryan bakes them into the recipe itself. Ranveer Singh’s cameo is as delightful as you would hope, but the real fun lies in how naturally these appearances blend with the story.

Rajkummar Rao shows up with perfect timing, Arjun Kapoor slides into the madness with charm, Shanaya Kapoor adds freshness, and Manoj Pahwa is simply a riot. Badshah drops in with a wink, Emraan Hashmi and Karan Johar play exaggerated versions of themselves, and Arshad Warsi proves again why his comic timing is untouchable.

And then there is Rajat Bedi as Jaraj Saxena, a character that feels like a wink at his own “where-have-I-seen-him” reputation. It is clever, self-aware, and hilarious. The awards ceremony sequence, with cameos stacked like dominos, feels like Aryan tipping his hat to Om Shanti Om while also carving his own space.

These cameos are not fan service. They are part of the DNA of the show, and that is what makes them fun rather than forced.

Fakeness, Doglapan And Double Faces

Aryan does not shy away from pulling the curtain on Bollywood’s hypocrisies. The doglapan is everywhere. Success parties that turn into nightmares, producers who smile in one scene and scheme in the next, friendships that collapse under ego. It is ugly, but it is also irresistibly watchable.

One of the boldest moments comes when a fictional government agency called NCG raids a party. The scene mirrors Aryan’s own real-life ordeal, and the frustration, absurdity, and sheer stupidity of it all spill onto the screen. It is both commentary and catharsis, a way of taking back control of a narrative that once humiliated him.

The industry’s fake friendships and double standards are exposed with the kind of detail only an insider could write. Aryan balances ridicule with affection, making it clear that he loves Bollywood even as he skewers it.

Characters That Shine And Characters That Suffer

Lakshya as Aasman Singh is the anchor of the show, and he pulls it off with charm and flamboyance. His arrogance becomes a lens to explore ambition, vulnerability, and the messy compromises of survival. It is a layered performance that makes you root for him even when you want to slap him.

Among the supporting cast, Manoj Pahwa is a standout as the foul-mouthed but lovable chacha. Rajat Bedi as Mr Kahin Toh Dekha Hai is hilarious, embodying the odd nostalgia of actors who never quite left your memory. Manish Chaudhary is great, and is the rest of this immensely huge ensemble cast, who bring sense into the absolute ridiculousness of things. Emraan Hashmi and Karan Johar prove to be game for parody, sending up their images with flair.

But not everyone gets their due. Raghav Juyal is brilliant as comic relief, but the writing restricts him to just that. Yes, there is a redemption arc for him but it isn't enough. We never even know why is he an apparent 'good-for-nothing' kinda best friend who is stuck on his best friend. But because it just how fabulous Juyal is, that he literally has some of the best moments, comical instances and much more.

Mona Singh is saddled with the overdramatic mother trope, though she claws her way into a redemption arc later. Sahher Bambba shows promise but is underused. Anya Singh is sensational but gets a random an unwanted LGBTQIA+ glimpse, yes just a glimpse. These gaps show Aryan still has some way to go in balancing ensemble storytelling.

Cussing, Corniness And Chaos

The language in the show deserves its own chapter. The cussing is relentless, and while it adds rawness, it occasionally feels unnecessary. Not because it shocks, but because it loses punch when overdone. Still, some of the best lines come laced with profanity, and the show’s closing moment, “Say No To Drugs,” followed by “Directed by Aryan Khan”, lands with wicked irony.

The show also embraces corniness with open arms. Aryan leans into Bollywood’s inherent illogic, reminding us that this industry has always thrived on the absurd.

The chaos becomes part of the fun, a deliberate homage to the very masala that critics love to dismiss but audiences secretly crave.

Emotional Cores Amidst The Madness

For all its fireworks, the show remembers to stay human. The relationship between Aasman and his parents is portrayed with sincerity, grounding his journey in something real. His bond with his manager and his one true friend adds further depth, anchoring him when his arrogance pushes him toward collapse.

These emotional beats matter. They keep the show from being just noise and spectacle. They give weight to the regrets, mistakes, and small moments of vulnerability that peek through the chaos. Aryan understands that without heart, masala is empty calories. He makes sure there is substance under the spice.