Web StoriesLoved The Ba***ds Of Bollywood? Watch These Movies And Shows That Take A Dig At The Film Industry
You either loved Ba***ds Of Bollywood or hated it. But there’s no way you could have ignored it. After watching the series, the internet collectively agrees that Aryan didn’t hesitate to show the industry’s truth and throw controversies around like confetti. With a star-studded cast including Mona Singh, Raghav Juyal, Lakshya Lalwani, Sahher Bambba, Bobby Deol, and more, the series has got everyone talking.
Aryan Khan’s direction proves that his lens is not that of an outsider trying to decode Bollywood. It’s coming from someone who’s had a front-row seat to the film industry’s biggest scandals and showdowns, making his work refreshingly unfiltered. But long before Aryan did it, some other Bollywood directors also dared to expose the “real” Bollywood. So, add these movies and series for a dirty dose of Bollywood’s reality to your weekend watchlist.
1. Luck By Chance (2009)
Zoya Akhtar’s debut film, Lucky By Chance, remains the prime example of Bollywood’s reality. The movie follows Vikram Jaisingh (Farhan Akhtar), a newbie in the film industry who wants to make it big as an actor. But as success has it, he turns a blind eye to talent and hard work. Through him, Zoya shows how fragile fame is and how fake friendships are in the showbiz world. While the critics loved the film, box office numbers stayed modest with a ₹21 crore collection worldwide.
Where to watch: Netflix | Amazon Prime Video
2. The Dirty Picture (2011)
Bollywood and its audience have always had a bittersweet relationship with sex and stardom. Even though they thrive on both, they rarely admit it. But Milan Luthria’s The Dirty Picture ripped the hypocrisy wide open. Loosely based on Indian actor Silk Smitha’s life, the film follows Vidya Balan’s character, who makes space for herself in the male-dominated industry. While she wants to make a name for herself, the industry only banks on her sensuality and reduces her to a sex symbol. Released in 2011, The Dirty Picture walked the risky path of portraying the most brutal, messy yet painfully honest reality of a female actor working in the film industry.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
3. Jubilee (2023)
Set between 1947 and the early 1950s, Vikramaditya Motwane’s Jubilee is a period drama that portrays the rise and fall of the iconic Bombay Talkies studio. The show strips off the dreamy expectations of ambitious filmmakers, actors, and crew members entering the newly founded film industry. Jubilee reveals how stardom always comes at a price in showbiz. Just like The Ba***ds Of Bollywood, Motwane’s Jubilee turns the old-school glamour into a cautionary tale of Bollywood’s reality.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
4. Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)
Long before Bollywood turned introspective, Guru Dutt, a legendary Indian filmmaker, adjusted his lens to show the dusty side of the Hindi film industry. His Kaagaz Ke Phool isn’t a love letter to cinema; it’s an obituary. The film follows the story of Suresh Sinha, a renowned director who falls in love with Shanti, a young woman. He turns her into a star, but as her career rises, Suresh’s begins to crumble. What follows is the tale of a man who gets rejected by the very system he delicately built. The film was deeply criticised by the audience at that time, as it portrayed how Bollywood only embraces the glamour, never the grim. But now, artists regard Dutt’s Kaagaz Ke Phool as a masterclass in filmmaking.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video | YouTube
5. Heroine
Starring Kareena Kapoor in the lead, Heroine is about Mahi Arora, a renowned film actor whose personal and professional life gets chaotic. The film explores how actors have to deal with manipulative directors, ruthless PR teams, and endless pressure to stay relevant. Mahi’s life exposes the harsh realities lurking behind the glamour. Heroine also shows how female actors are replaceable once their beauty fades, unlike their male counterparts.
Where to watch: Netflix
Related: Let’s Reverse The Age Gap In Bollywood: 7 Pairings We Want To See On Screen ASAP
6. Showtime (2024)
The Emraan Hashmi-starrer series, Showtime, delves into the much-debated topic of the Bollywood film industry: nepotism. The show follows Raghu Khanna, Victor Khanna’s son, who believes he is the rightful heir of his father’s Victory Studios. But things complicate when Mahika, a talented journalist, competes with him with her skills. Like Aryan Khan hints at nepotism and fleeting fame in The Ba***ds Of Bollywood, so does Mihir Desai in Showtime.
Where to watch: JioHotstar
7. Page 3 (2003)
Way before celeb gossip took over Instagram, Page 3 glimpsed at the reality of Bollywood parties. The film follows Madhavi, an aspiring journalist who explores Mumbai’s high-society events only to discover that the glamour is all smoke and mirrors. Behind every outfit and interview is ego, manipulation, and staged drama that often goes unnoticed by the general audience. The coming-of-age movie casts Konkona Sen Sharma, who creatively carries the depth of Madhavi’s character.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
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