Aryan Khan’s ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ is not a glossy fairytale

We spoke with the cast (Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh and Sahher Bambba) about working on the show, which premiered on Thursday with the first-time director, and how this show brings an unapologetic perspective to Indian cinema. 

The story is about an ambitious newcomer, Aasman (Lakshya), with big dreams and hopes to carve his place in Bollywood’s dazzling yet unpredictable universe, with the help of his loyal best friend, Parvaiz (Juyal). The series mixes sharp, self-aware wit with high-stakes drama, offering unforgettable cameos, blockbuster-scale thrills, and a bold dive into the heart of Indian cinema.

Lakshya (Kill) as Aasman plays a driven, talented actor who has what it takes to become big in Bollywood. The character has similarities to Lakshya, who is fast emerging as a versatile and exciting new voice in Hindi cinema. Lakshya came from New Delhi to Mumbai—India’s entertainment hub—and started his career working in television.

The series and Khan, Lakshya says, have helped him explore himself and return to the Lakshya who first started his career 10 years ago—someone with raw, passionate energy that will fuel mileage for the next 20 years.

Deol (Gupt, Soldier, Animal), son of veteran actor Dharmendra (Sholay) and brother of actor Sunny Deol, is a known name in Bollywood and has been in the industry since 1995. Bobby Deol plays Ajay Talwar, a superstar with an undeniable presence who commands awe and respect. Ajay has an intense fandom. He’s also protective of his daughter, Karishma, played by Bambba, as she launches her career. Deol says the project is one he was excited to be a part of. He signed on to be a part of the series without reading the script, and says once he and Khan started chatting about it, they spent seven hours straight in conversation.

Deol and Shah Rukh Khan have been friends for 30 years, and he says Aryan Khan is like a son to him. Seeing his perfectionism as a director, Deol says audiences will be amazed and impressed by his work, but he also hopes to see the younger Khan in front of the camera.

In chatting with the cast, they all express how particular and detail oriented their debutante director was—down to noticing their hair and lipstick color. They say Khan had each scene “etched out to the T.” The actors agree it was something they all appreciated, along with his clarity and calm patient demeanor amongst the million things happening on set.

While the series explores Bollywood's dual nature, in which the world is shaped by the ease and familiarity of insiders, and navigated with grit and resilience by those entering from the outside, Juyal (Kill) shares that his personal journey into Bollywood has never made him feel like an outsider. As Aasman’s best friend, Parvaiz wants to see his friend succeed.

Juyal’s personal journey has been a story of commitment and passion. He hails from Dehradun, a city much north of Mumbai, and shares that he came to the city with zero rupees, and says the city has given him everything. He says he has worked hard and it’s been rewarded. He earned his fame as a dancer, winning audiences’ hearts, and then evolved into becoming a TV host and actor. He received critical praise for his work in Kill, a film that has recognized both his and Lakshya’s work.

As Juyal shares his story, Lakshya jumps in to say the message to take from Juyal’s journey is for people not to limit themselves to just one thing. “If you think you are meant for this, give it a shot,” Lakshya says. “If you don’t give it a shot, you’ll never know if you are meant for it or not. Believe in yourself.” 

Singh plays Sanya, the protective, yet resourceful manager who looks out for her client Aasman. And Bambba, playing the aforementioned Kharishma, is the next star set to rise and has witnessed the highs and lows of fame through her father Ajay’s journey. Both complimented Aryan as a “very present” director, not missing minute details and pushing them beyond their limits.

When asked to describe the show in one word, the cast replied with unapologetic, brave, gutsy and a fun ride. Bollywood has never been this self-aware and Khan is making his mark in a way no one expected. In addition, with some of the leading names of Bollywood including Shah Rukh Khan to Ranveer Singh and Salman Khan making appearances, The Ba***ds of Bollywood packs in superstar cameos that blur the line between fiction and reality. Their presence underscores the tension between Bollywood’s untouchable elite and its hungry newcomers. And sometimes the most entertaining stories are the ones that aren’t afraid to embrace the chaos.