EXCLUSIVE: Rajat Bedi on cloud nine with The Ba***ds Of Bollywood response; reveals his condition to Aryan: “I told him, ‘I started my career with your father; my son will start his career with you’”; opens up on his scene with Shah Rukh Khan: “I felt COMPLETE”

The Ba***ds Of Bollywood has given a new lease of life to many actors, and Rajat Bedi is one of them. He plays Jaraj Saxena, a forgotten actor waiting for his comeback; it was a role that mirrors his real-life journey. The meta-casting struck a chord with audiences. The performance not only resonated but revived his image, putting him back on the map. When Bollywood Hungama exclusively caught up with him, Rajat Bedi was visibly ecstatic, his eyes sparkling with gratitude as he opened up about how the show has changed his life, his bond with Aryan Khan, memories of working with Shah Rukh Khan and a lot more.

How has life changed since the release of The Ba***ds Of Bollywood? The audience has been so kind. On my posts, people are commenting, ‘Aap aa gaye finally…hum kab se wait kar rahe the’! The love I am getting is overwhelming. People have loved my role. Jaraj has connected with the masses because he has a lot of pain, but later, he gets success.

A few days ago, you posted a picture of yourself posing with Aryan Khan. The caption was ‘When God sends you an angel, this is what he looks like’. That’s quite a big statement… I just love that boy. My whole family is so thankful for conceiving this role for me and literally getting me back into the industry. There was no other way of saying ‘Thank you’ to him. What better way to thank him than with that caption? He has truly been an angel in my life.

Today, it’s not just me. My family is also getting recognition. My children are blown up on the internet! This wouldn’t have happened if not for this show. I get very emotional when I talk about it. I am thankful to Shah Rukh Khan sir and Aryan for giving me this opportunity.

This will go down in history as it's Aryan Khan’s debut. And I’ll also go down in history (smiles). Just like SRK Fauji se aaya, Aryan The Ba***ds Of Bollywood se aaya!

 

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Jaraj’s pain was very similar to what you faced in real life. While reading the script, did you fear that people might take it the wrong way or it might not come across as intended? I didn’t think of it at all. When I learned that Aryan is on the lookout for me and that he wanted only me for this role, I was sold and was also overwhelmed. I was in Canada when I got a call saying, ‘Shah Rukh ka beta tujhse milna chahta hai’. I was stunned. I thought I didn’t hear properly (laughs). Then, on December 21, 2022, I met him. The whole experience of going into SRK’s office was also like a dream come true. I had a long history with SRK, as I began my career at 18 years old. I assisted on Zamaana Deewana (1995); sir was the hero. I spent 2 ½ years with him. He calls me Tiger. Uss waqt mujhe Tiger bolte the aur aaj bhi mujhe Tiger hi bulate hai (smiles). So, we have that kind of lovely bond. But for his son to remember me and want to do a role in his show meant a lot.

When Aryan met me, he told me that he had not completely written it but a skeleton of the plot was ready. He explained that he was offering me the role of an actor who hasn’t worked for 15 years because he’s stuck in a contract. It was a bit relatable to my actual life. I just told him, ‘You had it when you said Hello’ (laughs)! I agreed instantly, though I had one condition – my son Vivaan Bedi should start his career with him. I told him, ‘I started my career with your father; my son will start his career with you’ (smiles). That’s how my son assisted Aryan for 2 ½ years. He learned a lot from Aryan and everyone. Where else he would have got such a great opportunity? Moreover, he had exposure to all the big stars who appeared in the show, like the three Khans, S S Rajamouli, Bobby, Emraan, etc.

Thankfully, Aryan agreed instantly to my condition. That’s how my son was the third or the fourth AD on the show. He’s now training and preparing for his launch as an actor.

You were one of the few actors to have a scene with Shah Rukh Khan in The Ba***ds Of Bollywood… I feel so fortunate about it. Before the show was released, I told my wife, ‘I don’t know how the show would eventually be received. But I feel complete with getting a small bit on screen with Shah Rukh’! Also, at the trailer launch, I got a chance to do a skit with Shah Rukh sir on stage. It was the first time for me and I was so nervous. I have not done anything of that sort in my life. By God’s grace, it went so well. So many people called from the industry. They said, ‘Yaar Rajat, so much confidence aur woh bhi Shah Rukh sir ke saamne’!

I couldn’t stop laughing when you wore the ‘51%’ coat in the show… (Laughs) My friends also died laughing during that scene.

Jaraj is shown using a spoofing device, where he pretends to be someone else and calls up people to fool them. If you ever get access to such a device, who would you call and who would you pretend to be? I’ll call Aryan and pretend to be SRK (laughs)! Uski taang khichunga main!

Interestingly, you do something similar in Jaani Dushman (2022). Meanwhile, your basketball scene gives a déjà vu of Koi Mil Gaya (2003). I guess it was intentional to use those bits from your earlier film… Yes. The idea was to depict them, but in a slightly different avatar. Hats off to Aryan for putting this together. He’s a genius. Baap genius hai aur beta bhi genius hai! Both are so hard-working as well.

Aryan ki jitni taareef karo, woh kam hai. He started writing this show when he was 21-22 in Covid. In 2022, I met him and today, we are in 2025. So, you can imagine how long his journey has been just to make one product. 5 saal ki mehnat hai. It doesn’t happen overnight. Give the money and resources to someone else. Will that person be able to pull it off in the same way? I doubt it. There’s no doubt that he had the support system, but he has proved himself.

Also Read: Rajat Bedi addresses comparisons between daughter Vera and Kareena Kapoor Khan; says, “She is thinking to join the industry now”

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