Kamal Ghorui
Aryan Khan’s debut series The Ba***ds of Bollywood has sparked a strong conversation online ever since its release. While the Netflix show has found its fans, it has also drawn criticism for its dark portrayal of the Hindi film industry.One of the sharpest reactions has come from Viveck Vaswani, who shares a long-standing association with Shah Rukh Khan dating back to his early days in Mumbai.In a conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Vaswani once again didn’t mince words as he questioned the narrative presented in the series.“Shah Rukh was treated like a king in my house, my mother, my father, and I, we all looked after him. We used to eat dinner together, watch films together, and often go on sets together,” he said.Recalling those years, he added, “Aziz Mirza gave him a place to stay, and Aziz’s wife Nirmala Mirza was like his mother, just as my mother was. Saeed Mirza, Renu Saluja, and everyone associated with Circus as well as Karan Johar’s father Yash Johar, and Aditya Chopra’s father Yash Chopra, all of them, without exception, treated him like a king.”He then questioned the show’s tone, stating, “He came into the industry with a golden spoon. So why does he think it’s a bad industry?”
‘I have never seen anything like this’
Vaswani also objected to a particular scene that, according to him, paints an extreme picture.“You are showing a woman being kicked to the ground by a director. I have never seen anything like this in the industry. I have not encountered such evil people here,” he said.Dismissing the idea of a largely toxic ecosystem, he continued, “Whatever dirt or supposed ‘evil side’ of Bollywood people talk about, I have never seen it. Even Shah Rukh, who lived with me, never saw it.”
‘Let there be good people too’
While conceding that the show might be drawing from second-hand accounts, Vaswani stressed the need for balance.“Why paint everyone black? There are decent people in the industry,” he said.“If you are making something called The Ba***ds of Bollywood and want to show the darker side, that’s fair, but let there be a Yash Chopra, who has been decent. Let there be a Yash Johar, or let there be a Viveck Vaswani who has always helped people. Let there be good people too,” he concluded.
