The Ba***ds of Bollywood - A Review

The show was quite… unusual.

I just finished the show and have this very uncomfortable feeling about it. Did Aryan Khan end up making it too quirky, too much? He has picked up on every cliche, added self awareness to it, and gave everything a very filmy twist. That said he has definitely tried something very very different. How it will age I am not sure, but this is not my genre.

I mean, I liked the self aware part — For example You would think Aamir and Rajamouli talking about something profound every time they meet, which obviously cannot be the case. Or a side character calling out “ I am not a side character”. There are quite a lot of such pieces sprinkled across the show which was genuinely good. I even liked the annoying brother but he too gets too much after a point. Apart from it, it looked like identifiable pop culture incidences or problematic hindi film tropes just picked up as is. I am sure the show will get a lot of flak on the fat shaming or metoo sequence played just for gag. I understand that the show was just laughing at itself but it was still insensitive. Unless the target audience was the same as Samay Raina, Madhur Murli catered too. They are funny, yes but at times the foul language and content gets way too much for me personally. The show just looked like masala for Tanmay Reacts and meme fests.

The show has some Vasant Bala vibes here and there, but what Vasant Bala could pull off as class that panache was missing. I grew up watching Bollywood so seeing many actors coming together for a show is always fun. Only Aryan Khan could have pulled it off.

A Few things didn’t fit though, why would actors need to actually be in sync emotionally for a film? Then I understand that they were attracted to each other but when suddenly they fell in love? Within months they were ready to marry each other? What was that climax that if they both just sign a marriage registration form they will get married? I think basic research was required, too much creative liberty. By the end, the show completely exhausts itself.

I am sure makers would have made money for themselves with the hype, with the zabardast product placements and with the promotion of their own liquor and clothing brands. Well even I am now looking for a D’Yavol whiskey.

The end was just for shock value? I mean old flames are still in touch with each other so casually. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.

That said, the actors are really good. Lakshay, Raghav and their banter stands out. Manoj Pahwa leaves you with some memorable gems. Aryan has definitely played at the strength of his actors. To think of it, I have issues with the writing but the direction is actually not bad. Regular gags, the self aware bits, even music adds to the vibe of the show.

In a nutshell — The show indeed has some funny bits, but it is not for me.