MUMBAI – The premiere of Aryan Khan’s highly anticipated web series, The Bastards of Bollywood, on Netflix has set the internet abuzz, not just for its sharp satire and witty humor, but also for the curious case of a missing song. Fans who were eagerly waiting to see Tamannaah Bhatia’s much-hyped song “Ghafoor” were left disappointed when the track was nowhere to be found in the seven-episode series, sparking a flurry of speculation on social media.
Tamannaah Bhatia’s involvement and her special song “Ghafoor” had been a key highlight in the show’s promotional campaign, generating significant excitement among her fans and series viewers alike. Many were under the impression that the song would be a part of the final cut, possibly appearing as a special dance number or an integral part of the plot. The song’s absence from the final episodes, however, led to confusion, with some social media users speculating that it might have been removed at the last minute due to censor issues. One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Tamu Song Deleted Because of Censor Issues 😭 #Ghafoor. #Tamannaah #TamannaahBhatia,” reflecting the general sentiment of disappointment and bewilderment.
To quell the rampant speculation, the show’s production house, Red Chillies Entertainment, stepped in to clarify the situation. The makers officially announced that the song “Ghafoor” was never intended to be a part of the web series itself. Instead, it was conceptualized and produced exclusively as a promotional video to build hype and buzz for the show. Taking to their official X handle, Red Chillies Entertainment confirmed the full promotional video would be released separately, posting, “#Ghafoor -Promotional Video Out Tomorrow” along with a picture of Tamannaah.
Despite the clarification, fans remain divided on the creative decision. While some have accepted the explanation, others feel that including the song within the series would have been a more impactful move. One social media user lamented, “Instead of a promo video, including this song in the show would have had a greater impact,” while another eagerly demanded, “We need the uncut version.”
In the meantime, the series itself, which premiered on September 18 following a special screening for industry insiders, has been receiving glowing reviews. Viewers are hailing director Aryan Khan’s razor-sharp direction, witty humor, and refreshing take on the Hindi film industry, calling the show a complete paisa-vasool (worth the money) entertainer. The Bastards of Bollywood stars Lakshya and Sahher Bambba in the lead roles, with a stellar supporting cast including Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh, Rajat Bedi, Gautami Kapoor, and Manish Chaudhari. The series also features a series of high-profile cameos from industry heavyweights like Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, and Shah Rukh Khan, among others, further solidifying its place as a must-watch satirical series.