Aryan Khan Gets Candid About Nepotism In The Ba***ds of Bollywood: There's Many Truths, Lies That Are Disguised...

Aryan

Khan’s directorial debut The Ba***ds of Bollywood has been making headlines ever since it started streaming. It emerged as both a critical darling and a fan-favourite. The seven-episode satire has been ruling the charts at No. 1 in India, quickly becoming one of the most buzzed-about shows of 2025. Mixing biting humour with sharp storytelling, the series takes viewers behind the glamour, spotlighting the chaos, egos, and contradictions that fuel the film industry. In his recent interview, Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan opened about the themes of nepotism in his hit series.

Aryan Khan gets candid on Nepotism theme in The Ba***ds of Bollywood

In a recent interview with Variety, when asked how sharply the series tackles Bollywood’s undercurrents of nepotism, ambition, and betrayal, Aryan Khan admitted the show blurs fact and fiction deliberately. “In this industry, there are many truths and many lies, often disguised as each other. That sense of mystery is what keeps audiences hooked, they may love it, hate it, or be intrigued, but they can’t ignore it,” he explained.Aryan also sharedd that while the series draws inspiration from real-life scenarios, it is not meant to be taken literally. “We were pushing it for screen, so yes, there are moments inspired by reality and others that are exaggerated. It’s not a documentary,” he said.

Aryan Khan on setting creative boundaries

On setting creative boundaries, the debutant filmmaker emphasised respect. “We wanted to be self-deprecating without being disrespectful. Since we’re part of the industry, there’s an inherent respect we owe it. Comedy begins with being able to laugh at yourself, and thankfully, people were very sporting. Our effort was never to cross into mockery, just to keep it sharp yet respectful,” he shared.Aryan also spoke about defining the show’s tonal balance. “We didn’t want it to become an outright spoof or slip fully into slapstick. Sure, there are spoofy, over-the-top moments, even some exaggerated action, but they’re blended with drama and satire. There was always a guardrail in my head, we can’t tip over into becoming Austin Powers suddenly. It had to stay grounded in a world that feels real, even when it’s exaggerated,” he added.ALSO READ: Aryan Khan Recalls Father Shah Rukh Khan Introducing Him To Filmmaking: It's Like Magic

About The Ba***ds of Bollywood

The Netflix series follows Aasmaan Singh (Lakshya Lalwani), an ambitious outsider fighting to make it in Bollywood’s glittering yet cutthroat world. Alongside humour and drama, the series digs into themes of stardom, privilege, and ambition, giving audiences a raw yet witty perspective.Fans have also been thrilled with surprise cameos by Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Karan Johar, moments many have hailed as “cinematic gold.”