Aryan Khan on balancing satire, respect in The Ba***ds of Bollywood: ‘Wanted to be self-deprecating, not disrespectful’

Aryan Khan has opened up about the tone and creative choices behind his debut project, The Ba***ds of Bollywood*, which marks his first step into writing and direction.

Aryan Khan on the tone of ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’

In a conversation with Variety, Aryan Khan shared insights on how the team worked carefully to strike a balance between humour, honesty, and respect for the industry they belong to.

“We wanted to be self-deprecating, but not disrespectful anywhere,” he said. “So I think we maintained that line correctly, and the guardrails were self-imposed, mostly because, making something about the industry and being a part of the industry, there has to be — there is a lot of respect. People being able to take jokes on themselves, I feel, is the first and most important thing about comedy. Take a joke on yourself and then spread the love.”

Khan further explained that the show’s tone was designed with careful consideration. “We had other guardrails about the tone. Are we that show which goes into constantly spoofy slapstick genre? Perhaps not. Do we have spoofy and slapstick moments? Yes. But is that serious or is that a joke? It’s bending many genres and merging many things,” he said.

Calling the series “a family drama at its core,” Khan noted that emotion remains central to the storytelling. “For that to happen, the guardrails were set tightly, but [we] also figured out along the way of where to push.”

About ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’

Based in the Hindi film industry, The Ba**ds of Bollywood* centres on Aasmaan Singh, portrayed by Lakshya, as he navigates the unpredictable and fiercely competitive world of fame and filmmaking. Blending sharp wit with clever storytelling, the series serves as both a reflection of and a playful nod to the world it depicts.

Backed by Gauri Khan and produced under the Red Chillies Entertainment banner, the show features an impressive ensemble cast, including Lakshya Lalwani, Bobby Deol, Mona Singh, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Manish Chaudhari, Sahher Bambba, Gautami Kapoor, and Rajat Bedi.

With ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, Aryan Khan appears to be carving his own creative identity — one that mixes satire with sincerity and self-awareness.