The Bads Of Bollywood Series Review: Crazy, Fun, Sassy Debut By Aryan Khan With A Witty Satire On Bollywood
Director: Aryan Khan
Rating: 4/5
Cast: Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, Mona Singh
Storyline:
The Bads of Bollywood throws you right into the glitzy, messy, and chaotic world of showbiz. The story follows Aasmaan (Lakshya), a complete outsider who lands a dream debut and becomes the talk of the town overnight. He’s riding high on the success with his goofy best friend Parvaiz (Raghav Juyal) by his side and his no-nonsense manager (Anya Singh) keeping him grounded. But fame comes with its own baggage, and Bollywood isn’t all bright lights and red carpets.
Aasmaan’s big second film is with none other than Karan Johar (playing himself) opposite nepo kid Karishma (Sahher Bambba). Trouble is, her superstar dad Ajay Talwar (Bobby Deol) isn’t thrilled about this outsider stealing the spotlight and does everything he can to derail the project. On top of that, Aasmaan finds himself trapped in a shady contract with hotshot producer Freddy Sodawallah (Manish Chaudhari), making the stakes even higher.
Adding color to the madness is Aasmaan’s quirky uncle Avtaar (Manoj Pahwa), an out-of-work singer chasing a comeback, and Jaraj Saxena (Rajat Bedi), a desperate has-been still trying to be relevant with his antics. And just when you think it’s all filmi drama, Aasmaan’s sweet mother (Mona Singh) surprises with secrets of her own.
Packed with the movie mafia, followed by an actual goofy underworld don, high-speed car chases, jail nights, and banter-filled romance, The Bads Of Bollywood is a full-on dark comedy, masala ride! At its core, the series doubles as a satire and cheeky parody of Bollywood itself, poking fun at its clichés while celebrating the madness!
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The Bads Of Bollywood Series Review:
The first thing that hits you about The Bads of Bollywood is the attitude. It’s loud, unapologetic, cheeky, liberally sprinkled with gali galoch and just the right touch of brain-rot comedy. Aryan Khan, in his much-hyped directorial debut, goes all in and delivers something that feels fresh, self-aware, and high-key bingeable AF.
Considering he’s Shah Rukh Khan’s son, expectations were already sky-high. The industry was waiting to see if he would play it safe or try something new. Aryan clearly chose chaos, and honestly, it works.
What makes this debut stand out is the writing. Satire is a tricky beast. Go too far and it becomes a mess, or hold back and it feels toothless. Aryan manages to balance it with a mix of wit, sass, and just the right amount of masala exaggeration. The self-deprecating humor is a stroke of genius too. Aryan doesn’t shy away from referencing his own drug scandal and brief stint in jail, and the jokes land because they’re delivered with tongue-in-cheek honesty. That’s what makes the satire click… it’s not just making fun of Bollywood clichés, it’s poking fun at the entire ecosystem, including the filmmaker himself.
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Yes, the first episode feels a little cheesy, but by the end of it, you’re hooked. The pacing is tight for the first few episodes, the energy is infectious, and the animated intro song is genuinely cool, setting the perfect tone for the madness that follows. Around episodes 5 and 6, the show does wobble a little. The writing loses steam and a few tracks feel stretched. But Aryan pulls it back with a chaotic, over-the-top climax that ties the series together in peak Bollywood fashion.
Performance-wise, Lakshya leads the pack as Aasmaan, the charming outsider. He’s confident in the action scenes and shares playful chemistry with Sahher Bambba. His bromance with Raghav Juyal is one of the highlights. The two bounce off each other effortlessly, and their comic timing is spot-on. Lakshya does falter in the heavier emotional moments, but his screen presence makes up for it.
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Raghav Juyal, though, is the real scene-stealer. His comedy chops shine in every frame, sometimes even overshadowing Lakshya. There’s one fanboy sequence with Emraan Hashmi (in a hilarious cameo) that will leave you howling. Raghav and Lakshya together form a duo you’ll genuinely root for.
On the veteran side, Bobby Deol nails his role as the control-freak superstar daddy. He brings menace, charm, and just the right dose of eccentricity. Manoj Pahwa and Arshad Warsi (in a brief cameo) keep the comedy flowing, while Rajat Bedi finally gets a fun, meaty role that lets him flex his comedic timing. Mona Singh adds her signature warmth and presence, grounding the chaos with some heart. Anya Singh plays it effectively as the stern manager, while Sahher Bambba, though glamorous and fun opposite Lakshya, does come across as the weaker link in the ensemble.
All said and done, The Bads of Bollywood is a crazy fun debut. Aryan Khan proves he has an original voice, a flair for satire, and the guts to poke fun at the very industry he belongs to. Sure, it’s not flawless, but it’s sharp, witty, and never boring. By the end, you’ll definitely say, bhai, maza aa gaya!
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