The secret’s out. And it’s juicier than anyone expected.
For months, fans have been obsessing over every detail of The Ba***ds of Bollywood, the Netflix series that took a wicked, witty jab at the Hindi film industry. They dissected the storyline. They celebrated the cameos. They went wild over Salman Khan’s iconic moment where he tells someone exactly what he thinks about their party.
But here’s what nobody knew until now. That wasn’t actually Salman Khan’s voice.
It was Aryan Khan. The director himself. Mimicking Bhaijaan so perfectly that millions of viewers never caught on.
In a recent interview with GQ, the 27 year old director dropped this bombshell casually, like it was no big deal. Fun fact, he revealed, in the show when Salman Khan says, What party? Bullshit party, that’s actually me. Just like that. No warning. No build up. Just a confession that’s now sending Bollywood fans into absolute meltdown mode.
The revelation opens up a whole new conversation about Aryan Khan’s directorial debut. About the creative risks he took. About what it’s like being Shah Rukh Khan’s son while trying to carve your own path. And about whether Season 2 can possibly top the chaos of Season 1.
Buckle up, because this story gets better with every detail.
The Moment Everyone Missed
Think back to Salman Khan’s cameo in The Ba***ds of Bollywood. It’s quick, punchy, and absolutely perfect. The timing. The delivery. The signature Salman energy compressed into a few seconds of pure entertainment gold.
Except it wasn’t Salman delivering those lines. It was Aryan, standing in a recording booth, channeling his inner Bhaijaan, nailing the cadence and attitude so precisely that not a single viewer questioned it.
This isn’t just impressive mimicry. It’s a testament to Aryan’s attention to detail as a director. He didn’t just coordinate the cameo. He became part of it in a way that nobody saw coming. The fact that he could replicate Salman’s distinctive speaking style well enough to fool an audience of millions speaks volumes about his understanding of Bollywood’s biggest stars.
And honestly? It raises the question of what other secrets are hiding in plain sight throughout the series.
Share this with everyone who watched the show and completely missed this detail.
When Your Dad Is Shah Rukh Khan
Working with your father sounds challenging under any circumstances. When your father happens to be Shah Rukh Khan, one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, the pressure multiplies exponentially.
But according to Aryan, directing SRK was actually the easiest part of making The Ba***ds of Bollywood. He’s the easiest person to work with, Aryan told GQ without hesitation. He knows exactly what to do, how to do it. And when he’s on set, everyone else behaves exceptionally well.
That last part is key. Shah Rukh Khan’s presence doesn’t just elevate a scene. It changes the entire energy of a production. Cast and crew naturally step up their game when King Khan walks onto set. The professionalism increases. The focus sharpens. Everyone wants to match the standard he sets simply by existing in the space.
For Aryan, having his father participate in his directorial debut wasn’t just about landing a big name cameo. It was about learning from someone who’s spent decades mastering the craft of performance. Shah Rukh Khan doesn’t just act. He understands camera angles, lighting, blocking, pacing. He’s been doing this so long that he can sense what a director needs before they ask for it.
The series featured Shah Rukh playing a version of himself, and by all accounts, he was absolutely hilarious. His comedic timing, self awareness, and willingness to poke fun at his own superstar image created some of the show’s most memorable moments.
And throughout it all, Aryan got to watch his dad work while wearing the director’s hat. Talk about the ultimate masterclass.
The Show That Changed Everything
The Ba***ds of Bollywood premiered on Netflix in September 2025 and immediately became the streaming platform’s most talked about Indian original of the year. The series, co created by Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan alongside Aryan, takes a sharp yet respectful satirical look at the Hindi film industry.
At its core, the show follows Aasmaan Singh, played by rising star Lakshya, a newcomer who tastes success with his first hit and suddenly becomes a sought after star. He signs a Karan Johar film opposite Karishma Talwar, portrayed by Sahher Bambba, who happens to be the daughter of superstar Ajay Talwar, brought to life by Bobby Deol.
The casting alone generated buzz. Lakshya, an outsider with no Bollywood connections, anchoring a show about nepotism and industry politics? The meta commentary wrote itself. Bobby Deol, fresh off his career resurgence, playing a superstar father? Perfect. And the supporting cast featuring Mona Singh and Rajat Bedi added depth and credibility to the ensemble.
But what really set The Ba***ds of Bollywood apart was its tone. It wasn’t a mean spirited takedown of the film industry. It was affectionate satire from someone who clearly loves Bollywood despite understanding its flaws. Aryan Khan grew up surrounded by this world. He’s seen its beauty and its ugliness up close. That insider perspective gave the show authenticity that outsider critiques often lack.
The series tackled nepotism, power dynamics, artistic compromise, and the price of fame without feeling preachy. It balanced humor with genuine emotion. And it featured enough celebrity cameos to keep audiences playing spot the star throughout every episode.
Tag someone who needs to binge this immediately if they haven’t already.
The Cameo Game
Speaking of celebrity appearances, The Ba***ds of Bollywood became a masterclass in how to use cameos effectively. Beyond Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, the series reportedly featured appearances from Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh, among others.
Each cameo served the story rather than just being random star spotting. When Bollywood’s biggest names show up to participate in a satire about their own industry, it adds legitimacy and humor simultaneously. It shows they’re in on the joke. That they understand the absurdity of their world and are willing to laugh at it.
Shah Rukh Khan confirming his participation during one of his famous Ask SRK sessions on X generated massive excitement. Lots of lovely friends from the industry have participated in Aryan’s series, he wrote. They have been very very gracious and loving to him. Main toh hun hi, haq se! That last bit translates to Of course I’m there, by right, perfectly capturing his proud father energy.
The generosity these established stars showed Aryan speaks to the respect Shah Rukh Khan commands in the industry. When King Khan’s son makes his directorial debut, people show up. They give their time. They trust the vision. It’s a form of support that not every first time director receives.
But it also put pressure on Aryan to deliver. With that much star power involved, the series had to be good. It couldn’t just coast on celebrity appearances. The story, performances, and execution had to justify the faith everyone placed in him.
And by most accounts, it did exactly that.
The Nepotism Conversation
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Aryan Khan is the ultimate Bollywood insider. Son of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan. Brother to Suhana Khan, who’s pursuing acting. He grew up with more privilege and access than 99.9 percent of aspiring filmmakers could ever dream of.
Some critics have pointed out the irony of a star kid making a satirical series about an industry notorious for nepotism. The real bastards of Bollywood, one particularly scathing article argued, are people like Aryan Khan who benefit from the system they claim to critique.
It’s a fair point. But it’s also incomplete.
Aryan didn’t choose acting, the path that would have been easiest given his looks, name, and connections. He chose directing, a role that requires proving yourself through the quality of your work rather than just your screen presence. He could have coasted on his father’s reputation. Instead, he spent years developing his craft, studying film, and working on projects that wouldn’t see the light of day until he felt ready.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood doesn’t pretend Aryan is an outsider. It doesn’t claim he struggled the way someone without his advantages would. But it does demonstrate that he takes filmmaking seriously. That he’s willing to satirize the world he comes from. That he understands his privilege while still wanting to create something meaningful.
Whether that’s enough to satisfy critics depends on individual perspective. But it’s worth noting that the series cast Lakshya, a genuine outsider, as its lead. That Aryan chose to spotlight someone without connections rather than filling the role with another star kid. That the show itself grapples with questions of merit versus access.
Perfect? No. But it’s more self aware than most Bollywood projects dare to be.
Don’t scroll past without sharing your take on nepotism in the comments.
What’s Next For Aryan Khan
With The Ba***ds of Bollywood now a confirmed hit, everyone wants to know what Aryan Khan will do next. His GQ interview provided some hints, though nothing concrete.
I have two or three projects I want to develop, he revealed, but nothing’s locked in yet. This year is about sitting down, writing, and shaping whatever comes after.
That measured approach suggests Aryan isn’t interested in rushing into his next project just to capitalize on his debut’s success. He’s taking time to develop ideas properly. To write, revise, and ensure his next directorial effort matches or exceeds the quality of his first.
It’s a smart strategy. The pressure on a second project is always intense. If he announces something too quickly and it disappoints, the narrative shifts from promising newcomer to one hit wonder. But if he takes his time, builds anticipation, and delivers something equally compelling, he cements his reputation as a serious filmmaker rather than just a star kid playing director.
Season 2 of The Ba***ds of Bollywood is already generating buzz. The first season ended with enough unresolved threads to make a continuation feel natural rather than forced. Bobby Deol’s character has layers left to explore. Lakshya’s Aasmaan Singh faces new challenges that could drive compelling drama. And the celebrity cameo game could level up even further.
Beyond the series, Aryan has mentioned interest in feature films. Whether he’ll make the jump from streaming to theatrical releases remains to be seen. But given Netflix’s willingness to back his vision and the creative freedom the platform provides, he might stick with streaming for a while longer.
The Legacy Question
Here’s what makes Aryan Khan’s situation fascinating. He’s not trying to be Shah Rukh Khan. He’s trying to be Aryan Khan, filmmaker. That distinction matters.
His sister Suhana is pursuing acting, following more directly in their father’s footsteps. But Aryan chose a different path. He’s building a career behind the camera, where comparisons to SRK are less direct and the pressure to match his father’s superstardom is slightly reduced.
Slightly. Not eliminated. Because being Shah Rukh Khan’s son means every project will be scrutinized through that lens. Success will be attributed partly to his name. Failure will be blamed on nepotism. There’s no winning that narrative battle completely.
But The Ba***ds of Bollywood proved Aryan has talent beyond his surname. The series showcased visual style, narrative confidence, and tonal control that first time directors rarely display. His ability to extract strong performances from his cast, balance multiple storylines, and land both comedic and emotional beats suggests genuine skill.
The Salman Khan dubbing revelation adds another dimension. It shows Aryan isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. To step into unconventional roles when the project needs it. To be more than just the name on the director’s chair.
The Bigger Picture
What Aryan Khan represents is larger than just one person’s career. He’s part of a new generation of Bollywood talent that’s more globally aware, streaming savvy, and willing to experiment than previous generations.
Growing up with access to international cinema, film school education, and platforms like Netflix that value creative risk taking, this generation approaches storytelling differently. They’re influenced by Korean dramas, American prestige TV, and auteur driven cinema from around the world. They understand that audiences are more sophisticated than Bollywood often gives them credit for.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood reflects that sensibility. It’s a show that could only exist in the streaming era, where traditional Bollywood gatekeepers have less control and younger voices have more room to play. The satire is sharper than theatrical releases would typically allow. The pacing is more serialized than cinematic. The tone shifts between comedy, drama, and industry commentary in ways that feel fresh.
Whether Aryan Khan becomes a major directorial force or a talented filmmaker with a decent career remains to be seen. But his debut suggests Bollywood’s future might be more interesting than its recent past.
The Final Word
Aryan Khan dubbed for Salman Khan. Nobody noticed. That fact alone tells you something important about his directorial debut.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood worked because it was made by someone who understands Bollywood from the inside but can view it with an outsider’s critical eye. Someone with enough access to land incredible cameos but enough artistic vision to use them meaningfully. Someone carrying his father’s legacy but determined to build his own.
The revelation about voicing Bhaijaan is fun trivia. But the real story is what it represents. A young director so committed to his vision that he’ll step into whatever role the project needs. A filmmaker confident enough to work with legends like his father and generous enough to spotlight new talent like Lakshya. A storyteller willing to satirize the world that gave him everything while still showing love for its absurd, beautiful chaos.
Season 2 is coming. New projects are in development. And Shah Rukh Khan’s son is proving that sometimes, the apple doesn’t just fall near the tree. Sometimes it grows into something entirely its own.
Drop a comment about whether you caught the Salman Khan dubbing or if Aryan totally fooled you. Share this with every Bollywood fan you know because this behind the scenes tea is too good to keep to yourself. And if you haven’t watched The Ba*ds of Bollywood yet, what are you even waiting for?
