‘Be Yourself; Be Your Own Cheerleader!’

Outsiders Lakshya Lalwani and Raghav Juyal have a rather nonchalant view of what it takes to be a badass in Bollywood. The two actors, who earlier shared screen space in the blockbuster action thriller Kill, reunite for Aryan Khan’s directorial debut on Netflix, Ba***ds of Bollywood.

“Just be yourself, that’s all it takes. There’s no formula. Just be unabashed and believe,” says Lakshya. His co-star Raghav, who transitioned from dance reality shows to acting, is just as emphatic: “You have to be your own cheerleader in this competitive ecosystem. At the cost of sounding vain or proud, I always believed I was the best first as a dancer, and now as an actor too.”

Their confidence might feel like they are still channelling their on-screen personas, since Ba***ds of Bollywood follows the story of an outsider (played by Lakshya) who breaks into the industry, while Raghav plays his staunchest ally and best friend.

“After my debut with Dharma, I developed a very ‘Yes-Sir’ attitude. I wanted to please people and be liked,” admits Lakshya.

“But playing this character taught me that anyone who’s made it big in this industry has had an inherent belief in themselves. The best example is Shah Rukh Khan — a self-made megastar.”

For Raghav, the role felt almost cathartic.

“It brought me a sense of ease, which is so important for any actor and human being. To not intellectualise everything, and to take risks.”

“I actually walked in a little overwhelmed — it was Aryan Khan, son of India’s biggest superstar. Whether it was at their home or on set, it felt very family-oriented, very chilled,” recalls Raghav. “Honestly, he made us all comfortable and gave us scope to voice our ideas, and explore whatever we thought would work.”

The newcomer in the series, Anya Singh, says, “Aryan made sure egos were kept aside, even with big names like Bobby Deol in the cast, everyone had equal space.”