‘The B***ds of Bollywood’ interview: What the industry and Aaryan Khan taught Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba and Anya Singh

Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba and Anya Singh — the young leads of The Ba***ds of Bollywood — are industry outsiders who have all struggled for close to a decade before getting to do Aaryan Khan’s much awaited directorial debut for Netflix.

Ahead of the release on September 18, I spoke to the titular Ba***ds over Zoom about a decade of hustle in Bollywood and one key lesson they all took from their director Aaryan—who, during the launch of the movie, said he prefers to let the show do the talking for him.

How did the almost decade-long hustle in the city of dreams—Bollywood—shape your roles in the show?

Lakshya:

The Ba***ds of Bollywood came at the right time for me. I have been at it for almost ten years, picking up life experience in what they call the “circus of Bollywood.” That line from the trailer—“There are many stars but just one Aasman”—was also my audition scene, a longer monologue. While shooting Kill, I realised I had lived it all: the Nos, the struggle, watching privileged kids land roles. I used all that. Like life, this business has good days and bad days—you just go with the flow.

Raghav Juyal:

My biggest struggle is articulating thoughts in English. I was zero when I came here. Bombay and the sea gave me everything. The day I got off at VT station, I found work—dancing in the background. I told myself: even from the corner, I will shine. I choreographed, hosted shows, then took a break when TV became monotonous. I needed growth. Shah Rukh was my role model—he too came from TV. For me, the struggle was an adventure. I’ve met only good people here. No complaints.

Sahher Bambba as Karishma in ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’.
| Photo Credit:
NETFLIX

Sahher Bambba:

I play Karishma Talwar, a superstar’s daughter—very different from who I am. So it wasn’t easy. There is a struggle. In this industry, the highs are high, the lows really low. But we love our job, so we push every day. I’m not from the industry; whatever I have, I have built brick by brick.

Anya Singh:

I think all our journeys have been similar. When you come to Bombay (Mumbai), you don’t know anyone. Beyond the professional, there is also a personal struggle because you have no support system. But that’s life—it taught me patience. Everyone’s journey is different. We are lucky to be working with such a strong setup; everyone here is superb at their craft.

Anya Singh as Sanya in ‘The Ba***dS of Bollywood’.
| Photo Credit:
NETFLIX

What is that one thing you learnt from Aaryan Khan?

Anya Singh:

He’s extremely passionate, disciplined and hardworking. Despite the high stakes, I never saw him lose his cool. Things went wrong, but he stayed calm, not indifferent, and that helped all of us stay calm too.

Sahher Bambba:

I even asked him once: how are you so unfazed? My biggest takeaway is that once he decides to do something, he gives it his all. Recently he picked up Padel, got obsessed, and wanted to win every game. Whatever he does, he dives in completely.

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Raghav Juyal:

Watching him, I realised I can’t be a director—I am too impatient. He handled really tough situations calmly, with clarity and depth. He always knew what he wanted and got it done.

Lakshya:

For me, it was how he used his privilege. He could have sat back, but instead he came to the battlefield, fought alongside us, and led calmly. Having resources is one thing, but knowing how to use them sincerely and truthfully is what he taught me.

Shah Rukh Khan in ‘The Ba***dS of Bollywood’.
| Photo Credit:
Netflix

Can we expect something like The Studio or Entourage given all the meta commentary?

All: No. Nothing like this has been made before.