Netflix’s latest comedy, Best of the Best, dives straight into the high-energy world of collegiate Bollywood dance. On paper, the film offers a highly predictable setup: rival dance groups, campus drama, and a narrative formula seen in dozens of college movies before it. Yet, it is quickly climbing the trending charts and winning over audiences.
The secret to its success isn't a groundbreaking plot—it is the sheer brilliance of its execution.
Sharp Writing Meets Gen Z Humor
Written by millennial comedians Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, the script functions as a sharp, self-aware study of Gen Z culture and second-generation South Asian identity. Director Lena Khan, one of Hollywood's few Muslim female filmmakers, injects the film with a relentless, infectious energy that keeps the pacing exceptionally fast.
The story follows lifelong best friends Maya (played by Never Have I Ever star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Anjali (Priyanka Kedia) as they begin their freshman year at UCLA. Maya is the sharp, outspoken protagonist, while Anjali plays the more traditional, amiable counterpart.
When they join the university's Bollywood dance club, Maya immediately clashes with the club's leader, Ronak (Ankur Rathee), over their creative direction. Ronak favors traditional, wedding-style routines, while Maya pushes for a modern, high-stakes evolution to defeat their rivals on the national stage.
A Spectacular Final Heist
What elevates Best of the Best above standard streaming filler is its sharp cultural awareness and rapid-fire jokes. The dialogue is packed with quick-witted, self-aware humor that resonates deeply with diaspora audiences. In one standout scene, when Anjali's mother publicly scolds her at the dorms, Maya dryly notes that the surrounding white students looked ready to call the authorities.
This cultural synthesis peaks in the film's spectacular final performance. Instead of a standard dance battle, the routine is choreographed around a theatrical heist of the Koh-i-Noor diamond—the infamous gem currently set in the British Crown Jewels. This sequence brilliantly honors traditional dance forms while serving as a bold, modern statement on young South Asian identity.
The Takeaway
While Best of the Best relies on familiar cinematic tropes, its brilliant choreography, stellar lead performances, and whip-smart humor make it a standout. It proves that even the most predictable stories can feel entirely fresh when told by the right creative voices.
