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Sameer Wankhede's drug bust to Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om: Ba***ds' best meta Bollywood references
Metaverse just took on a whole new meaning with Aryan Khan's maiden debut, The Ba***ds of Bollywood
The Ba***ds of Bollywood has kicked up a storm, giving Aryan Khan quite the dreamy launch into the world of direction. It's packed with puns, brimming with satire and a slick and offensively hilarious one-time binge watch — something the audience was clearly missing, given the raucous response the show has recorded since its premiere on September 18.
Now the thing with Ba***ds, or really anything that takes the internet by storm overnight, some controversy is bound to follow. And for this show it's come in the form of a lawsuit from former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede. Why? It's of course the scene which without a shadow of doubt has drawn direct reference from Aryan's own October 2021 arrest during a drugs raid conducted by the NCB — the horrors of sensationalisation aside, it's safe to say Aryan has processed the events pretty well, given that he managed to find a near identical Wankhede look alike for the micro-plot where a Bollywood-famous personality is arrested in the "war on drugs" over a nobody.
As Wankhede's lawsuit demanding ₹2 crores in compensation goes through the judicial process, here are all the other real-life meta references from Ba***ds, which deserve a shoutout.
Roundtable comes full circle
Rajeev Masand's 2019 newcomers roundtable was the ultimate mic drop for then-Gully Boy fame Siddhant Chaturvedi, and quite the nepo-controversy for SOTY 2-debutante Ananya Panday. Ananya spoke about her family's "struggles" enunciating how her father, actor Chunky Panday, never got a Dharma debut or even made it to the infamous Koffee with Karan couch. And while everyone agreed in the moment, Siddhanth flipped the script assertively pointing out how the point at which outsiders feel their dreams have been realised is the point where nepo-babies start their struggle.
Now while the moment was more or less out of circulation from current meme catalogs, Ba***ds' Aasmaan Singh and Karishma Talvar have the same exact conversation, save for a different script as their dynamics introductory beat. Now that was a clean sweep.
KJo versus Ranveer
Who do we exactly credit for the family masterpiece that was, Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani? Well, Karan Johar, who just received the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for the production, would give up his name. But Ranveer Singh, who breathed life into the one and only Rocky Randhawa, may disagree.
Or at least that's what Aryan's script suggests? Both KJo and Ranveer play themselves and there's an intense little moment in episode 1 when they share an exchange about KJo saving Ranveer's career, and Ranveer saving KJo's film. Well...if the shoe fits.
Panwadi
In the second episode of The Ba**ds of Bollywood, Lakshya's Aasmaan heads down to the local paan shop with his father while visiting his parents in Delhi. They are warmly welcomed by the shopkeeper who quips how he still stocks the same chewing gum Aasmaan loved as a child. Now many believe this to be a reference to Shah Rukh Khan. How? Years ago, on an episode of Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, SRK reminisced about his past when he was shown a video featuring a paan shop owner, whom he had been a regular with during his Delhi days. Very, very full circle indeed.
Aryan calling (Kartik) Aaryan?
While there's no official confirmation on Kartik Aaryan being the inspiration behind this very crucial plot point, but what else would you say about Aasmaan making it big with a three-film contract, only to be tossed out on the streets due to clashing egos with Freddy Sodahwala?
Hint: Audiences think this could be a very strong yet veiled reference to the blip Kartik experienced after his falling out with Karan during the filming of Dostana 2, which he was dropped from, days after shooting had begun — and with an official announcement at that. While many thought Kartik was over, he reinvented himself by jumping on the Bhool Bhulaiyaa bandwagon which catapulted him to overnight superstardom. Things are back to normal now between KJo and Kartik...just like Aasmaan too lands on his feet at the end of the show.
Special mention: The OSO x SRK tribute
SRK plays himself, but there's an in-frame tribute playing out for him, right in front of him during an episode in the show. As part of the plot, Aasmaan wins his first big award and walks up on stage, awestruck. Now while he doesn't mouth the iconic dialogues, the swirl of the camera is frame-for-frame the same as Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om, when superstar Om Kapoor delivers his iconic 'itni shiddat' speech. What an homage indeed!
The Ba***ds of Bollywood is now available for streaming on OTT.
