For the first time since the release of his Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, Aryan Khan has opened up about the difficult period in his life and how he found strength through his work. The young filmmaker revealed that the character Jaraj Saxena, played by Rajat Bedi, became an unlikely source of inspiration during his toughest days.
“Whenever things got difficult, I’d hear Jaraj’s voice in my head—‘Haarne mein aur haar maanne mein bohot farak hota hai (There is a difference between losing and accepting your loss),’” Aryan said in a statement to Netflix India. While he initially dismissed it as fatigue and lack of sleep, he admitted that the words stayed with him and pushed him forward.
Aryan went through a highly publicized ordeal in 2021 when he was arrested in a drugs-related case and held in custody for 25 days before being cleared. Though his parents, Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, have spoken about the painful episode, Aryan himself remained silent until now. His debut series even includes a satirical reference to former officer Sameer Wankhede, who led his arrest.
Reflecting on the overwhelming response to his first project, Aryan expressed gratitude for the global love and engagement it has received. “The show trending across countries, the memes, the reels, the fan theories—what began as my story now truly belongs to the audience,” he said. “As Jaraj would humbly say… Ab pehechana?”
Produced by Shah Rukh Khan, the series blends satire and star power, with cameos from Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, and even SRK himself. For Aryan, the project not only marked a creative breakthrough but also a personal triumph over the shadows of his past.
