Abhiroop Das
Created by Aryan Khan, Netflix’s ‘The Bastards of Bollywood’ presents a satirical reimagining of Bollywood in all its glamour and splendor, while also bringing to light its more twisted ends. Aasmaan is a star in the making, but his ambition finds a hurdle in the form of Ajay Talvar, the reigning superstar of the industry. When the protagonist is cast alongside Ajay’s daughter in her debut film, sparks of all kinds fly off. Aasmaan and Karishma’s growing romance brings the worst out of hr father, and a game of chess begins between the two parties, defined by lies, deceit, and manipulation of information. In doing so, the dramedy series provides a glimpse into what life behind the screen looks like and how often it can end up mimicking the very works of art that are constructed in the industry. The final episode of the season, titled ‘Picture Ka Title Hoga…’, resolves a string of mysteries in one go, while also opening the doors to many others. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood Plot Recap
The story begins with Aasmaan Singh wrapping up the shooting of his debut film, ‘Revolver,’ by performing his own action scenes. Produced by Freddy Sodawallah, it is a smash hit, and everyone in the industry begins to familiarize themselves with its budding lead. We learn that he is from Delhi and is currently living with his uncle, Avtaar, who is a failed musician. The protagonist’s two allies in his creative pursuits are his best friend, Parvaiz, and his talent manager, Sanya. At the success party of ‘Revolver,’ Aasmaan runs into Ajay Talvar, the reigning superstar of Bollywood, whose daughter, Karishma, is set to star in a Karan Johar film for her debut. In a roundtable talk show comprising new talents, Aasmaan and Karishma butt heads over the question of privilege, and that angers Ajay. His temper only gets worse when the budding actor is signed as Karishma’s co-star. As they begin to practice for their shoots, a romantic bond gradually begins to take shape.
Aasmaan hits a snag when his original producer, Freddy, reminds him that he has already signed an exclusive three-movie contract with Sodawallah Productions, but that does not deter the ambitious newcomer. Before long, Freddy begins to feel the pressure from Ajay to get Aasmaan out of his daughter’s film, but when that plan fails, the superstar leaves Freddy helpless, and the production company begins to sink. Aasmaan is also hit by an emotional setback when Karishma’s marriage is hastily announced at her birthday party. Before the duo has a chance to come clean about their feelings, Aasmaan is abducted and taken to the hideout of Gafoor Bhai, an underworld don who has been on the run from the police. He expresses his desire to create a biopic with the protagonist as the lead, but in that moment, Jaraj Saxena, a failed actor, secretly films the exchange, and later uses it as a bargaining chip to buy ownership of Sodawallah Productions.
As Freddy gets his hands on Aasmaan and Gafoor’s video, he relays it to Ajay, who gets the protagonist kicked out of Karan Johar’s film. Things take a turn for the worse when Aasmaan’s father, Rajat, succumbs to his liver failure. With no movies under his belt, the rising star’s only hope comes with the Filmfirst Award Show, where he bags a win in the Best Actor category. In the meantime, Karishma learns the truth of Ajay’s sabotage attempt and tells Aasmaan about it. This leads to aggressive back and forth that ends with the protagonist punching Ajay on live television. Enraged at his daughter’s betrayal, the veteran actor locks Karishma in his study, but Aasmaan manages to find his way in and free her. As the couple rushes to get a court marriage done, Ajay gives them chase, stopping the marriage process just in time for a final confrontation with Aasmaan.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood Ending: Who is Aasmaan’s Real Father? Is Karishma His Sister?
Moments before Aasmaan goes for the final move in his fight with Ajay Talvar, he is stopped by his own mother, Neeta, who drops a revelation that changes everything that we know about the story. Although Neeta’s exact words are muted — an intentional choice on the creators’ end — she declares that Aasmaan’s father is none other than Ajay Talvar himself. In a parallel scene, Freddy and Jaraj reach the same conclusion on their own, as the latter finally remembers where he remembers Neeta’s face from. His epiphany directs him to a film reel from 26 years ago, which features a young Ajay Talvar in a dance number with Neeta, who turns out to be an actor herself. The timeline also lines up with Aasmaan’s age, and a very specific image of the past is developed. Nearly three decades ago, Ajay and Neeta likely got together on the set of their newest production, and this led to the birth of the protagonist.
Neeta and Ajay’s secret relationship also means that she cheated on her husband, Rajat, which further puts her in a more complicated space within the narrative. A flashback montage brings many of the puzzle’s missing pieces together, as many scenes from the show are entirely recontextualized. Ajay’s desperation to get Aasmaan out of the picture, both literally and figuratively, can now be interpreted as his attempt to nip a potential relationship with Karishma in the bud. Neeta becomes his ally in the endeavour, not just encouraging the string of schemes that he employs, but also helping him with insider information. It is she who passes on the exact address of the couple to Ajay, hoping to stop the marriage from taking place. As such, the entire series takes on a new shade, one that is less about occupational enmity and more about a maze of interpersonal relationships.
The knowledge of his true paternage shakes Aasmaan’s entire belief system, and he resigns himself to his room, silently processing the events. However, this is not the only major change in his life, as he is forced to confront the truth that the girl he loves is actually his half-sister. This development effectively ends his relationship with Karishma, and they both instead turn into each other’s closest friend. In the days following the reveal, the two siblings reconnect and reflect on what the truth means for them. Karishma explains that it is in their best interest to keep this a secret from her mother, before connecting this to the potential reason why Ajay and Neeta held back on this information in the first place. Deep down, their core motivation is to keep their respective families happy and intact, and this brings more depth to the subject of Neeta’s feelings for Rajat. Although it is never made explicit, it is suggested that she truly did love her husband and that largely informed how she dealt with the truth about Aasmaan.
What is The Bastards of Bollywood? Will Ajay and Aasmaan Work Together?
Although Aasmaan and Karishma are on the path to making peace with the truth about their parents, Neeta and Ajay cannot be said to be the same. In the final few moments of the season, the two discreetly meet to discuss how they have been dealing with the new developments, and while their conversation nearly leads to a moment of closure, it is interrupted when the two realize that they were framed to meet at this location. At that moment, Freddy, Jaraj, and Jeejeebhoy make their appearance, revealing that they have taped the entire exchange and now have definitive proof about Ajay’s past affair. However, instead of blackmailing the superstar with this information, Freddy reveals something even more sinister by announcing a new production, titled ‘The Bastards of Bollywood.’ He describes it as the biggest family drama put to screen, and Ajay, along with Aasmaan and Karishma, are all to be a part of it.
As a movie nested within the narrative, ‘The Bastard of Bollywood’ seeks to subvert the expectations that were generated due to the show’s title. Notably, the word Ba***ds does not match Bastards, which in turn firmly establishes the two names as two distinct identities. As such, Freddy’s movie is likely to borrow from the events of the show itself and concoct a whole new story to be put on the silver screen. This comes with unique challenges, as the dynamic between the protagonist and his biological father is already near its boiling point. Freddy may intend to fan the flames by blending reality into fiction and creating a spiced-up narrative that challenges every performer involved. Worse, Aasmaan and Karsihma’s redefined relationship means that the two cannot be in a romantic pairing, and keeping the exact reasoning secret only spells more doom for the actors. Nonetheless, with a new movie in the making, the doors are once again open to a flurry of creative directions, each more enticing than the last.
Does Aasmaan Make the Deal With Gafoor?
‘The Bastards of Bollywood’ is not the only enigmatic movie that Aasmaan finds himself at the heart of, as the finale also seals the deal on his contract with Gafoor, regarding the production of his biographical movie. Although the finer details of the plot are never brought up, it can be inferred that the underworld don intends Aasmaan to play the lead. With Gafoor’s own daughter penning the scripts, the stakes are at an all-time high for the protagonist, and he is forced to accept the deal as is. However, this leads to even more trouble, as Gafoor declares that he will produce two more films beyond the biopic, and all of them will be internationally produced. The reason for this creative direction lies in his history with the police, which forces him to be on the run constantly. However, this cat-and-mouse chase gets a new meaning when looked at from the perspective of Aasmaan, essentially trapping him for the foreseeable future.
By the end of the first season, Aasmaan hits a career low, with all cinematic prospects being pulled out of his sight. As such, despite not being palatable, his deal with Gafoor ends up being his only shot at surviving in the industry. However, the path ahead is more bumpy than ever, as he is forced to juggle the demanding shoots of the criminal world along with his familial fiascos. What makes things even trickier is that Gafoor does not require a contract, as he believes his word to be the bond. This can lead to good news and bad, as without the strict boundaries of a contract, the don essentially has free rein on what he wishes to do with the actor. Aasmaan is not alone in this twisted turn of events, as his best friend, Parvaiz, is bound to tag along for the journey. As such, a darker journey in a lawless world awaits the protagonist.
Are Shaumik Talvar and Pushpa Lovers?
Although the final minutes of the first season come with a barrage of new developments, the icing on the cake comes with the very last scene. Ajay’s wife, Anu, laments over the horrors that she has had to endure over the last few hours, not knowing that things are about to get even stranger. Out of nowhere, Shaumik bursts into the room, holding hands with the house helper, Pushpa. Anu ends the episode with a shrill, seemingly mortified at this unexpected turn of events. Prior to this, Shaumik and Pushpa only share a single scene together, where she accidentally mishears him asking for juice as he asks for shoes. The minor nature of this sequence only adds to the shock factor of their apparent relationship, which continues the show’s larger theme of viewing the celebrity experience with a magnifying glass. While the exact trajectory of the couple’s love life cannot be predicted, it is bound to run into troubles from his parents’ end, repeating the cycle.
Throughout the story, Shaumik is presented as someone with a perverse side, one that he does not shy away from. To that end, his pairing with Pushpa also flips many notions about him on their head, possibly hinting at a transformative journey for the character. It also serves as a starting point for many new threads in the show, starting with Ajay’s reaction. Given that the story is largely about the secrets that often run deep within the family, Shaumik’s confident declaration serves as a brand new step. Notably, there is also the possibility of the final scene being a red herring, with Pushpa and Shaumik coming to Anu with a wholly different purpose. That, however, does not change her reaction to it, making her it all the more comic.
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