My little tweet about "The B***ds of Bollywood"- written in the first flush of enthusiasm after binge-watching the OTT series over two rheumy evenings - seems to have caused a digital dhamaaka. The replies were a dizzying mix of gasp, glee, "how could he?", "he must have been paid!", and worse, validating a secret we all share: the real drama around Bollywood is often more compelling than the cinema it produces. 

This got me thinking - less about the show itself, but what it tells us about our world, our society and its values. Those who enjoyed the seven episodes were actually acknowledging the highly stylised, deliciously messy world it holds up a mirror to - the ecosystem where the stakes are always impossibly high, the masala is always plentiful, and the lines between the script and real life are perpetually blurred. We're subconsciously reacting to the values and the world this kind of portrayal suggests the tinsel town truly runs on.

The most enduring "value" that these portrayals shine a spotlight on is the concept of the Royal Bloodline. We talk about the Nepo-Verse with an equal measure of eye-rolling and awe because it turns the industry into a modern, slightly chaotic monarchy. The core value isn't artistic innovation; it's dynasty. (Sorry, SRK - but it's not just you.)

A character's defining struggle in this world is rarely about mastering an acting technique; it's existential: am I worthy of my father's or uncle's legacy? The climb isn't a humble trek from theatre stages to the big screen; it's a saga of proving one is worthy of the ancestral mantle. The red carpet becomes the throne room, and the box office is the ultimate loyalty oath to the khandaan (family).

This system suggests that your entry into the club is often determined by birthright, making every career trajectory an epic tale of survival. If you don't........

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