One of the downsides of being born to a famous father is the likelihood of losing your identity. And in an industry as twisted as Bollywood, the probability of the child living forever under the shadow of successful parents keeps getting higher.
Aryan Khan, son of the King of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan, may have just changed that. His Netflix series ‘The B***ds of Bollywood’ is an entertainment-packed directorial marvel that centres around the audience’s needs.
While the seven-episode series had a slow start, a pace that was necessary to absorb the depth of characters, it had all the ingredients required to keep people glued to their screens. Too often, films and series unravel their yarn carelessly. Creators, unable to rein in their excitement, pull out too many strands, knot them together, and, by the end, struggle desperately to roll everything back into something resembling the original ball. This film avoided that by keeping its subplots in check. Aryan, as his work shows, exercised patience and restrained himself from overindulging.
Many creators in India have favoured commercial films with simple storylines and mass appeal. However, the industry is too large to be overlooked by the intellectual lens. Aryan appears to have understood this, which is why the series was peppered with Easter eggs, like secret winks from the creator, daring the audience to spot them and make the connection. Yet, the series creatively avoids allowing these references to dominate the plot.
Over the years, Bollywood has had multiple makeovers. When cinema was not commercial, creators used their canvas to capture the disturbing divide between the elite and ordinary people. The protagonist, almost always from a humble background, would fight a stone-hearted man. The movies usually have a David vs Goliath arc where, in the end, the Davids, covered in blood, would emerge victorious, sing a happy song along with their lady love and live happily ever after. Commercial movies focused more on light-hearted quarrels. The Ba***ds of Bollywood has a mix of both. It has the classic greedy, rich businessman who is ever ready to exploit people; an overprotective father who does not want the protagonist to get closer to his daughter; and a handsome hero from the middle class, too proud to care about the elite.
While the web series is quite clear on messaging – it is meant to be enjoyed – it does have its moments where it has to be analysed. The series has a light take on the now almost-stale ‘nepo’ debate where audiences prefer not to watch ‘star kids’ movies for they think that their selection is not based on merit. So it does mention what star kids really think about it, and, given how Aryan does enjoy ‘insider knowledge’, the arguments so created were believable. But the series gives equal importance to an outsider’s perspective.
The protagonist of the series is the son of a background dancer who left the industry early in her career and is now enjoying a quiet life. He is also the nephew of a background singer who is still struggling to make something out of his career. When the protagonist meets the industry’s big names, he has a childlike excitement in his eyes. His body language changes and his tone becomes respectful. Regardless of what industry people throw his way, the look of gratitude that comes after sitting in the same room with ‘the stars’ never goes away. And this right there was a respectful acknowledgment of the so-called outsider's struggle where the director is not ‘an uncle’ and the coaches are not forgiving.
In all these reality checks, the series keeps circling around its core message. In one episode, the greedy producer had a disagreement with a female employee. Some not-so-woke things were said and then the situation escalated. The disagreement was so banal it was almost comical. It was perhaps another reminder that the film is not asking to be dissected, and is supposed to be only enjoyed.
And for all the reality checks that the series had, there is one for the creator. Whether or not the nepo debate has been stretched far too long, it is certain that ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ exists because of the creator’s strong footing in the industry. The cameos the movie had, the people who worked on the project, and almost every single detail of the series reflect who is behind the film.
Several months ago, a feature story in a foreign news outlet explored the lives of middle-class finance graduates in India, who, despite earning a decent education from a reputable college, struggled to make progress. One of the reasons for their slow growth was their inaccessibility in spaces where the well-heeled dine and were ready to make investments. That access comes with the privilege of being born to a well-established family.
To Aryan’s credit, he has made the most of the resources he has and set the stage for himself. The ‘proud parent’ moment that Shahrukh Khan had at the premiere was also justified. The work speaks for itself.
All in all, the series was enjoyable and one would not mind following its upcoming seasons, if there are any.
The writer heads the Business Desk at The News. She tweets/posts @manie_sid and can be reached at: aimen_erum@hotmail.com
