Has ‘Bads of B’wood’ Opened A New Chapter For Outsiders?

“This set-up is something I could have only dreamt of. To be directed by Aryan — it’s like his first child in a way. I thought he was really sharp and intelligent. He was thorough with his characters, detail-oriented, and most importantly, very present. He knew exactly what he wanted but still left room for improvisation and was very open to feedback,” she shares.

Echoing what Bobby Deol, who plays her on-screen father, has said, Sahher adds that the 27-year-old director may be a hard taskmaster but is also democratic in his approach, which made it easier for newcomers. “We would do countless takes and variations. But there was no hierarchy. I think I’ve genuinely learnt a lot from him,” she says.

The show’s success, meanwhile, has gone beyond the initial hype. For viewers, the laughs came from its unfiltered satirical take on Bollywood, told by an insider. Sahher’s own introductory scene was inspired by Siddhant Chaturvedi's real-life snub of Aryan’s childhood friend Ananya Panday for being a nepo kid..

But did she reference anyone in particular to play the daughter of the industry's biggest superstar?

“To be honest, I kept thinking of my character’s backstory, who she is - without putting a real person in my head. I didn’t want to subconsciously act from that lens,” she explains.

As her character portrays the challenges of being a star kid whose identity is constantly shaped by public perception, Sahher says that became her cue. “She’s trying to cement herself as an actor away from her superstar father's image. Yet she has this innocence about her. So I didn’t base her on anyone specific. She’s not your typical star kid — she’s innocently unaware of her privileges.”

With Sahher and co-stars Lakshay, Raghav Juyal and Anya Singh stepping into the spotlight, Bads of Bollywood may well mark a new chapter for the industry - one where those waiting in the wings are finally ready to take centre stage.