Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, makes his debut as writer and director with the Netflix series The Ba****ds of Bollywood, a seven-part show described as a “playful roast and toast to Bollywood”. The series, which premieres on 18 September, has sparked fresh debate about nepotism in the Indian film industry.
The show follows aspiring actor Aasmaan Singh, played by Lakshya, who lands a breakthrough role opposite a superstar’s daughter. Khan shares writing credits with Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan, while his mother Gauri Khan produces under Red Chillies Entertainment. The trailer, released on Monday, features cameos from major figures including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Telugu filmmaker S S Rajamouli.
Reactions have been mixed. Many viewers noted the irony of a “nepo baby” tackling the subject of nepotism, with one social media user remarking: “Even the most celebrated outsider has to suffer from useless nepokids, his own.” Another commented: “They KNOW people will point out the hypocrisy of a nepobaby making a series on a targeted outsider.” However, some fans praised the cameos as “spectacular” and expressed hope for solid entertainment.
In a 2019 interview, Shah Rukh Khan said his son had chosen not to act, fearing comparisons. “He said, ‘Every time I’ll be compared to you and I don’t want to be in that position,’” the elder Khan recalled. Aryan was arrested in 2021 on drug charges but all charges were later dropped due to lack of evidence.
