When B’wood Writes Its Own Story

With Aryan Khan’s dark comic series The Bads of Bollywood becoming a hit, Hindi cinema seems to have entered a new phase of self-reflection — and self-mockery. The series’ tongue-in-cheek portrayal of movie icons and industry archetypes signals a growing fascination with stories about the people behind the camera.

Bobby Deol plays a modern-day version of a yesteryear superstar, modelled unmistakably on Rajesh Khanna. Meanwhile, newcomer Lakshya channels a wide-eyed striver with Shah Rukh Khan-like ambition.

The plotline involving Deol’s affair with a chorus dancer (played by Mona Singh) and their secret child is, by most accounts, inspired by a real Bollywood scandal.

‘Bolly About Bollywood’ — The Trend That’s Catching On

This self-referential wave isn’t limited to Aryan Khan’s project. Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, who recreated the early years of Hindi cinema in his acclaimed series Jubilee, is planning an encore. “Playing Dev Anand in Jubilee was like time travel,” says actor Siddhant Gupta.

“These legendary actors came long before me, so I got a chance to research on the history of Bollywood as we know it.”

Similarly, Karan Johar’s Showtime, which premiered last year, took a glossy yet biting look at industry’s underbelly. From insider-outsider divides to ego clashes, box-office manipulations, and scandal culture, the show exposed B’wood’s politics. Showtime featured Emraan Hashmi as a flamboyant, Karan Johar-inspired producer, while Naseeruddin Shah and Rajeev Khandelwal portrayed characters loosely modelled on Yash Johar and Rajesh Khanna.

‘We Can’t Mock Our Own Too Harshly’

As Showtime readies for Season 2, Johar acknowledges the risks of blurring reel and real. “Doing self-referential shows is fun,” he says , “but we can’t show real-life figures in poor light.” After Season 1, many friends called to ask, ‘Is that me?’ In Season 2, we’ll have to be more careful.”

Reel Life, Real Risks

Director Siddharth P. Malhotra, scripting a Meena Kumari biopic, echoes this sentiment. “Every fact must be cross-checked. Otherwise, it’s safer to go the Om Shanti Om route — a full-on fantasy set in the film world.”

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who captured Bollywood’s workings in Rangeela, is reportedly considering a series adaptation. “Many scenes were real,” he recalls. “Shekhar Kapur and Vinod Chopra kept guessing who inspired my director character. I told them to keep guessing. It’s time we learnt to laugh at ourselves.”