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Netflix series ‘Bads of Bollywood‘ starring Lakshya, Bobby Deol and Sahher Bambba, leans hard on cameos to keep audiences hooked, so hard, in fact, that by the second half, the parade of stars starts to feel exhausting. Still, a few appearances are genuinely fun and add zing to Aryan Khan’s directorial debut. Here’s a breakdown: the cameos that worked, and the ones that were forgettable (or flat-out unnecessary).
First, let’s look at the fun ones!
4. Shah Rukh Khan
In any other show, a Shah Rukh Khan cameo would top the list. But in ‘Bads of Bollywood‘, his son’s directorial debut, it was expected, teased in the trailer, and thus lands at #5. Still, King is King, and his presence remains a thrill. He hosts an awards show and gets called ‘ghantey ka badshah’ by another character.
3. Rajkummar Rao
Rao pops up in an awards-night episode, one overloaded with red-carpet cameos. Yet in just a few seconds, he delivers a comical, grounded bit that feels more genuine than others, a reminder of why he’s truly a class apart.
2. Arshad Warsi
Warsi’s role as Gafoor Bhai, a flamboyant underworld don, sits somewhere between cameo and supporting character. His pomp-filled entry will make some viewers think that Sanjay Dutt is going to come on-screen, but hey, if not Munna Bhai, Circuit hi sahi!
1. Emraan Hashmi
The biggest surprise cameo in ‘Bads of Bollywood‘ belongs to Hashmi, who plays himself in episode 3. Hired as an intimacy coach for the lead pair, his meta role gets even better when Raghav Juyal’s character Parvaiz, a die-hard Hashmi fan in the series, serenades him with “Kaho Na Kaho” from Murder. It’s as hilarious as SRK’s Omi gawking at Shanti in ‘Om Shanti Om‘.
Cameos That Fell Flat in ‘Bads of Bollywood‘
Not all-star appearances hit the mark. These cameos added little to the plot and felt more like eye-candy for Netflix promos or as simple show of strength.
1. Salman Khan
A blink-and-miss moment where Salman attends a party as himself, calls it “bullshit,” then flips to, “Great party!” That’s all. Forgettable. Unnecessary. He was just there for die-hard fans of the actor to have something to look forward to in ‘Bads of Bollywood’.
2. SS Rajamouli & Aamir Khan
The Baahubali director S. S. Rajamouli and Aamir Khan have a brief and mildly funny exchange about idli vs. vada pav, but mostly there to flex star power. Aasmaan stares at them from afar thinking the cinema greats must be discussing something profound… nope.
3. Ranbir Kapoor
Seen briefly in a Karan Johar’s office in one of the later episodes, Ranbir looks exhausted and out of place in the show. His cameo neither adds to ‘Bads of Bollywood‘ nor feels necessary. We’re not counting Karan Johar’s appearance in the show as a cameo, because he has a pretty pivotal role in the story, even though his part isn’t long.
4. The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives Cast
This one feels like a shameless cross-promo for the Netflix reality series. Neelam Kothari, Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey, and Shalini Passi, all of them appear in the Awards Night segment, and it would’ve been more fun to see some other Bollywood stars. But okay, Netflix had to plug in its show.
Obviously there were tonnes of other actors and celebrities that appear through the show, and Bads of Bollywood could’ve used cameos more sparingly. When they work (Emraan Hashmi, Arshad Warsi), they elevate the humor and meta vibe.
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