Lena Khan directs competitive Bollywood fusion dance film Best of the Best for Netflix

Plot and main characters

The movie follows childhood best friends Maya and Anjali who join a competitive dance team at UCLA. Their goal is to reach the US Championship, but they find the environment cutthroat rather than friendly. The story centers on their journey through this intense campus competition.

Director motivation and tone

Khan wanted the film to show South Asian culture with confidence instead of treating it as something needing explanation. She noted that many in the diaspora lack self-respect regarding their own traditions compared to other arts like kung fu. The scriptwriters Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam drew on their personal experiences in similar dance circuits.

Writing team background

Minhaj and Venkataramanujam each competed in these circuits while growing up, which influenced the script. Khan felt the project represented an important message for South Asian audiences about pride in their heritage.