Exclusive | Lakshya on Aryan Khan: “Didn’t expect him to joke about jail time in The Ba*ds of Bollywood trailer — he’s not your typical Bandra boy”

In conversation with SCREEN, the lead cast of Aryan Khan’s directorial debut opens up about Netflix India’s upcoming show, the surprises of working with Shah Rukh Khan’s son, and how it reflects the film industry.

Written by Devansh Sharma
Mumbai | Updated: September 16, 2025 | 11 min read

Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan is stepping into the Hindi film world — not as an actor, but as a filmmaker. His first project, The Ba*ds of Bollywood, premieres this Thursday on Netflix India. The series explores the clash between the industry’s nepotistic roots and fresh outsider perspectives — much like Aryan’s own journey, echoing his father’s breakthrough in the 1990s.

Ahead of the release, SCREEN spoke exclusively with the show’s leads — Lakshya, Raghav Juyal (Kill), Sahher Bambba (The Empire), and Anya Singh (Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Stree 2). The actors shared insights on Aryan’s working style, what surprised them most about him, and how authentically the show portrays Bollywood.

On keeping the project secret

Q: Raghav and Lakshya, when you were promoting Kill last year, it was clear you were hiding something about this project. How hard was it to stay quiet?

Raghav: Very hard. In one interview, we almost slipped up. Only my mom’s “nazar lag jayegi” warning kept me from saying too much.

Lakshya: Exactly. We knew we’d done something solid, but we had to bury that excitement. Otherwise, it would’ve come out.

First meetings with Shah Rukh and Aryan

Raghav: I met Shah Rukh sir long ago — I even danced in Happy New Year (2014). Over the years, we crossed paths while I hosted shows. But this was my first direct interaction with Aryan. I auditioned, got selected, and from there, everything just flowed.

Lakshya: I’d only seen Aryan socially before. My audition was with casting director Nandini Shrikent. I’d prepped hard, but Aryan had a different take on the scene — very professional, very focused. Months later, by coincidence, we were both in Dubai. Out of nowhere, he invited me to his New Year’s party and casually said, “Achha, tu show bhi kar raha hai” (So you’re doing the show too). That’s how I found out I was in!

From then on, I saw a new side of him. During the shoot — which began in 2022 — we bonded. When Raghav, Aryan, and I sang together, I realized he’s just like us: full of masti, innocence, aggression, hunger, and the drive to prove himself. That relatability made us more like brothers than co-workers.