The Ba***ds of Bollywood is Aryan Khan’s directorial debut, a seven-episode satirical action comedy on Netflix that turns the Hindi film industry’s egos, nepotism and PR games into a fast, self-aware, star-packed romp. Our verdict is a recommendation with reservations: it is witty, ambitious and often very funny, but uneven in tone, and critics were split on how well it all lands.
The series premiered on Netflix on 18 September 2025 with all seven episodes released at once. Only one season has been released so far, so claims of a finished second season are not accurate. A second season is reported to be in the works but has not been officially confirmed by Netflix or Red Chillies Entertainment in the sources we checked.
This review covers the story, the cast, the craft, the controversies, critical reaction, our own review and rating, pros and cons, and FAQs. The Season 1 ending is discussed in a clearly marked spoiler section.
At a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Platform | Netflix |
| Premiere | 18 September 2025, all seven episodes at once |
| Seasons released | 1 (Season 2 reported, not officially confirmed) |
| Episode length | 39 to 56 minutes |
| Genre | Satirical action comedy drama, in Hindi |
| Creator, writer, director | Aryan Khan, in his directorial and writing debut |
| Co-writers | Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan |
| Producers | Gauri Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment |
| Lead cast | Lakshya, Bobby Deol, Sahher Bambba, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Mona Singh |
| Music | Score by Shashwat Sachdev; songs by Sachdev, Anirudh Ravichander and Ujwal Gupta |
| Cinematography | Jay Pinak Oza |
Season 1: setup, scandal and satire
Aasmaan Singh (Lakshya) is a young actor from Delhi whose film debut becomes a hit. The film is produced by the domineering Freddy Sodawallah (Manish Chaudhari), and its success lands Aasmaan a role opposite Karishma Talvar (Sahher Bambba) in a film directed by Karan Johar. Freddy pushes Aasmaan toward an exclusive three-film contract, and Karishma’s father, the veteran superstar Ajay Talvar (Bobby Deol), works against him. Professional rivalries, personal scandals and family secrets follow.
The people around him. Aasmaan is backed by his manager Sanya (Anya Singh), his quirky family including his mother Neeta (Mona Singh) and Avtaar Singh (Manoj Pahwa), and Raghav Juyal’s Parvaiz, a scene-stealing character in the film world. The underworld don Gafoor Ismail is played by Arshad Warsi.
What the show satirises. It pokes at lopsided contracts, ego-driven directors, star tantrums, PR spin, the cult of celebrity and the nepotism debate. It does this through parody, inside jokes and a long run of cameos by real stars, who play versions of themselves.
A note on the personal angle. The series includes a parody of the real-life officer who led the 2021 cruise-ship drug case in which Aryan Khan was arrested. That scene led to a defamation suit, covered under the controversies section below.
How it is told. The seven episodes run between 39 and 56 minutes each and mix comedy, action and drama. The tone shifts often, which is part of both the charm and the criticism.
The Season 1 ending (spoilers)
Spoiler warning: skip this section if you have not finished the series.
In the finale, Aasmaan and Karishma try to run away together with Parvaiz’s help while Ajay Talvar pursues them. In Episode 7, Aasmaan’s mother Neeta reveals that Aasmaan and Karishma are half-siblings, which ends their plans to marry and recasts Ajay’s hostility toward Aasmaan. Freddy Sodawallah and Jaraj Saxena then blackmail Neeta and Ajay into starring in a family drama titled *The Bastards of Bollywood*, the show’s own title. The finale also features a VFX-assisted recreation of the song “Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela” from Gupt (1997), with Mona Singh’s face placed over the original dancer.
The ending sets up fresh romantic, ethical and professional dilemmas, which is why viewers expected a second season. It is also where critics who liked the show said it earns its payoff, with one reviewer calling the climax a surprising and highly entertaining finish.
Episode guide (spoilers)
Spoiler warning: this section describes plot points from every episode.
| # | Title | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meet the Ba***ds | Aasmaan’s hit debut leads to a role opposite Karishma. Freddy pushes a three-film deal, and Karan Johar offers Aasmaan a film after Aasmaan insults Karishma at a roundtable |
| 2 | Movie Mafia | Aasmaan learns Karishma is the female lead and apologises. Ajay objects to the casting, and Aasmaan cancels the three-film deal after Freddy pressures him to drop Karan’s project |
| 3 | Barbaad Mohabbat | The leads rehearse intimate scenes in Goa with Emraan Hashmi as their coach. A choking incident and Aasmaan’s Heimlich manoeuvre go viral and cause a scandal |
| 4 | Bullshit Party | Parvaiz gets a new deal from Freddy, Ajay pressures Karishma into a proposal from her boyfriend, and Aasmaan is kidnapped before he can respond to her |
| 5 | My Hero | Aasmaan is taken to the underworld don Ghafoor Ismail, and a video of the meeting is used to remove him from Karan’s film |
| 6 | The Filmfirst Awards | Aasmaan wins Best Actor, then punches Ajay after learning of his part in the removal. Ajay locks Karishma in a study, and Aasmaan and Parvaiz rescue her |
| 7 | Picture ka title hoga… | Neeta reveals that Aasmaan and Karishma are half-siblings. The team partners with Ghafoor, and Freddy and Jaraj blackmail Neeta and Ajay into a family drama called The Bastards of Bollywood |
All seven episodes were released on 18 September 2025.
Season 2: what we know
Season 2 has not been released, so there is no second-season story to review yet.
| Question | Status |
|---|---|
| Is it officially confirmed? | Not in the sources we checked. Netflix and Red Chillies Entertainment had not issued a public statement, and some outlets report it as confirmed while others treat it as unverified |
| When might filming start? | Reportedly March 2027 |
| When might it release? | No date announced; an estimate of late 2027 or 2028 at the earliest |
| Who is expected back? | The main cast, including Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Mona Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Manish Chaudhari and Rajat Bedi, but none of this is confirmed |
Any description of Season 2’s plot, such as how the leads’ relationship develops or where the underworld subplot goes, is speculation until the makers announce details. Treat plot claims you see online with caution.
Cast and performances
| Actor | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lakshya | Aasmaan Singh | The outsider turned star; critics noted a strong screen presence |
| Bobby Deol | Ajay Talvar | The superstar and Karishma’s father; one reviewer found him miscast at first before the character comes together in the climax |
| Sahher Bambba | Karishma Talvar | Holds her own opposite Lakshya; won Rising Star (Popular) at the Iconic Gold Awards |
| Raghav Juyal | Parvaiz | Praised for comic timing and scene-stealing; won Breakthrough Performer of the Year (Male) at the Bollywood Hungama India Entertainment Awards |
| Anya Singh | Sanya, Aasmaan’s manager | Commands attention; won Best Supporting Actor (Female) at the Bollywood Hungama awards |
| Mona Singh | Neeta Singh, Aasmaan’s mother | A strict mother with a backstory that pays off; won Outstanding Performer at the Iconic Gold Awards |
| Manish Chaudhari | Freddy Sodawallah | The domineering producer |
| Manoj Pahwa | Avtaar Singh | Part of Aasmaan’s family |
| Rajat Bedi | Jaraj Saxena | Won Best Supporting Actor (Male) at the Bollywood Hungama awards |
| Arshad Warsi | Gafoor Ismail | The underworld don |
Cameos. A long list of real stars appear as themselves, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Rajkummar Rao, Sara Ali Khan, S. S. Rajamouli and Emraan Hashmi, who plays an intimacy coach. The cameos are central to the show’s inside-joke appeal.
Direction, writing, humour and craft
Direction. Aryan Khan created, wrote and directed the series, with co-writers Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan. For a first-time director the confidence is notable: the show is shot with multiple cameras, packed with cameos and keeps a brisk pace. It won Khan Best Director at the Bollywood Hungama India Entertainment Awards and Best Debut Director (Web Series) at the Iconic Gold Awards.
Writing and humour. The satire is aimed at nepotism, star tantrums, PR games and exploitative contracts, and the Koimoi review called it witty and sharp without becoming heavy. The humour relies on meta jokes and parody, which will land better with viewers who follow Bollywood gossip. Others, such as The Indian Express, found the whole to be “a mixed bag.”
Music. Shashwat Sachdev composed the score, with songs by Sachdev, Anirudh Ravichander and Ujwal Gupta. The 13-track album was released on 16 September 2025, with singles including “Badli Si Hawa Hai” and “Tenu Ki Pata.”
Cinematography and editing. Jay Pinak Oza shot the series and Nitin Baid edited it.
Marketing. The makers worked with Meta on India’s first “secret reel”, a password-locked behind-the-scenes video whose password could be found through a clue in Episode 6.
Themes and what the satire targets
Nepotism and the outsider. Aasmaan is an outsider from Delhi who climbs fast and finds that talent does not protect him from industry politics, while Karishma is the daughter of a superstar. The show keeps asking who gets chances and who pays for them.
Power and contracts. The three-film deal Freddy Sodawallah pushes in the first episode shows how producers hold careers hostage. Aasmaan’s attempt to cancel it triggers much of the conflict that follows.
Image, PR and scandal. A choking incident and a Heimlich manoeuvre in Goa turn into a viral scandal, and a video of Aasmaan’s meeting with an underworld don is used to remove him from a film. The show treats reputation as something other people can switch on and off.
Awards and self-congratulation. The Filmfirst Awards episode pokes at the industry’s habit of celebrating itself.
Family secrets. The central reveal that Aasmaan and Karishma are half-siblings ties the industry satire to a soap-opera family story, and it explains why the series is named after the film that Freddy forces Ajay and Neeta to make.
The underworld. Ghafoor Ismail, the don played by Arshad Warsi, nods to the long, murky relationship between Hindi cinema and organised crime.
Critical reaction and controversies
Critics were mostly positive but split on how well the series holds together. Rotten Tomatoes lists 89% positive reviews from nine critics (average 6.1/10).
| Outlet | Rating |
|---|---|
| Koimoi | 4.5 / 5 |
| Times Now | 3.5 / 5 |
| India Today | 3.5 / 5 |
| News18 | 3.5 / 5 (“a daring satire”) |
| The Times of India | 3.5 / 5 |
| The Quint | 3.5 / 5 |
| Bollywood Hungama | 3.5 / 5 |
| Hindustan Times | 3 / 5 |
| India TV | 3 / 5 |
| Rediff | 3 / 5 |
| The Indian Express | 2.5 / 5 (“a mixed bag”) |
What reviewers praised: the sharp satire, the cameos, Raghav Juyal’s comic timing, Lakshya’s screen presence and the finale.
What they criticised: uneven tone, humour that will not suit everyone, and a show that leans heavily on industry in-jokes.
Awards. The series won several awards in its first months, including Best Director for Aryan Khan and Best Supporting Actor awards for Anya Singh and Rajat Bedi at the Bollywood Hungama India Entertainment Awards, and Best Web Series (Popular) at the Iconic Gold Awards.
Controversies
- Defamation suit. Sameer Wankhede, the former NCB officer who led the 2021 cruise-ship drug case in which Aryan Khan was arrested, filed a suit in the Delhi High Court over the parody of him, calling it false, malicious and defamatory. The court issued notice to Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix in October 2025, and was reported in January 2026 to have dismissed the suit on grounds of jurisdiction, with the complaint to be returned.
- NHRC complaint. The National Human Rights Commission asked Mumbai Police to register a complaint over an on-screen e-cigarette scene shown without a statutory warning.
These matters are reported as described by the sources and may have developed since.
More critic voices
The warmest reviews came from outlets that celebrated the show’s bluntness. One reviewer said it is “unapologetic, unfiltered, and brimming with digs at the industry”, and another said Aryan Khan “does not pick sides or protect reputations”, mocking stars, critics, producers and hangers-on alike. A third reviewer called it “an absolute blast”. Bobby Deol and Lakshya were the performers most often singled out, and the cameos were widely enjoyed.
The quotes above come from a promotional roundup that collected favourable reviews, so they do not show the full range of opinion. The more cautious reviews, including The Indian Express’s 2.5 out of 5, are listed in the ratings table above. One reviewer noted that the penultimate episodes get wildly chaotic, which some viewers will find fitting for the subject and others will find overdone.
Our review
The Ba***ds of Bollywood is at its best when it stops pretending to be a tidy drama and leans into being a party full of in-jokes. The idea of an industry insider’s child turning the camera on the business is irresistible, and for a first-time director Aryan Khan shows real nerve and a clear sense of fun.
What works. The satire is specific. Contracts that tie an actor to three films, a star who can end a newcomer’s career with a phone call, a producer who treats talent as inventory and PR that spins every disaster, all feel recognisable even to viewers who only follow Bollywood from outside. The cameos are the show’s calling card, and the best of them are funny because the stars are willing to laugh at their own image. Lakshya has the presence of a leading man, Raghav Juyal and Anya Singh bring energy, and Mona Singh gives the family scenes warmth.
What does not. The tone swings between broad parody, family drama, romance and action, and the shifts are not always smooth. Some jokes rely so heavily on industry gossip that they will pass over casual viewers. The villainy of Ajay Talvar works better as a performance by Bobby Deol than as a plot engine, and a few threads feel rushed when the finale arrives.
The personal angle. The show invites the audience to read real events into its jokes, and it does so unapologetically. How much you enjoy that depends on whether you see it as brave self-commentary or score-settling, and the defamation suit shows that not everyone found it funny.
Bingeability. With seven episodes of about 40 to 55 minutes each, it is easy to finish in a weekend, and the pace rarely sags.
Our verdict. It is not a flawless debut, but it is a bold, lively and often very funny one. If you enjoy industry satire, it is easy to recommend.
Our rating: 3.5 / 5
Overall we rate it 3.5 out of 5: sharp, funny and bold, held back by an uneven tone.
| Category | Score (out of 5) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Concept and satire | 4 | Specific, self-aware and fearless |
| Writing and humour | 3.5 | Witty, though it leans on in-jokes |
| Performances | 4 | Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh and Mona Singh stand out |
| Direction | 3.5 | A confident debut with some tonal wobbles |
| Cameos and star power | 4.5 | The show’s biggest hook |
| Music and score | 3.5 | Solid album and a lively finale number |
| Pacing and bingeability | 4 | Seven fast episodes |
| Rewatch value | 3.5 | Better the more Bollywood you know |
| Overall | 3.5 | A bold, uneven, entertaining debut |
These are our editorial ratings, informed by critic and audience reception.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Sharp, self-aware satire of nepotism, PR games and star egos
- A long run of cameos from real stars
- Strong turns from Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh and Mona Singh
- Fast pacing and a surprising finale
- A confident, fearless debut from Aryan Khan
- Lively music and a memorable finale song sequence
Cons
- Tone swings between parody, drama and action
- Heavy reliance on industry in-jokes
- Humour will not suit every viewer
- Some critics found it only a mixed bag overall
- Bobby Deol’s casting did not convince every reviewer at first
Why the series matters, and who should watch it
Why it matters. It is a rare case of an insider’s child making a mainstream series that openly mocks the system that raised him. It also showed how streaming allows a big-star, in-joke-heavy comedy to reach a wide audience, and it started a public conversation about nepotism, parody and where satire ends and defamation begins.
Watch it if you follow Bollywood gossip, enjoy meta-humour and cameos, or want to see a first-time director take big swings.
Skip it if you prefer a straight drama, dislike in-jokes or want a tightly plotted thriller.
Where to watch. On Netflix, with all seven episodes available. The series is Hindi-language, and availability of subtitles and dubs can vary by region.
Final verdict
The Ba***ds of Bollywood is a bold, funny and uneven satire that works best for viewers who already enjoy Bollywood gossip. Aryan Khan’s debut has nerve, a stellar cast of cameos and a finale that sets up more to come.
Our rating: 3.5 / 5.
Did the show live up to the hype for you, and who was your favourite cameo? Tell us in the comments.
FAQs
Who directed The Ba***ds of Bollywood? Aryan Khan created, wrote and directed it, in his directorial debut. Gauri Khan produced it under Red Chillies Entertainment.
How many seasons and episodes are there? One season of seven episodes has been released, all on 18 September 2025. Season 2 is reported but not officially confirmed in the sources we checked.
Where can I watch it? On Netflix.
Who stars in it? Lakshya plays Aasmaan Singh, with Bobby Deol as Ajay Talvar, Sahher Bambba as Karishma Talvar, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Mona Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Manish Chaudhari and Arshad Warsi.
Which stars make cameos? Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Rajkummar Rao and S. S. Rajamouli, among others.
Why is the title censored? The title is styled with asterisks on Netflix and in coverage of the series.
What are the controversies? A former NCB officer filed a defamation suit over a parody of him, which was reported dismissed on jurisdiction grounds in January 2026, and the NHRC sought a complaint over an e-cigarette scene shown without a warning.
When will Season 2 release? No date has been announced. Reports estimate filming from March 2027 and a release in late 2027 or 2028 at the earliest.
Is it suitable for kids? Check Netflix’s maturity rating for your region before watching, as the show includes mature themes and language.
Is this a personal review? The ratings are our editorial assessment, informed by critic and audience reception.