Aryan Khan’s Directorial Debut Tops IMDb’s Most Popular Indian Series of 2025

In a year dominated by heavyweights such as Manoj Bajpayee’s The Family Man, Kay Kay Menon’s Special Ops, and Jitendra Kumar’s Panchayat, it is Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan who has delivered the biggest surprise. His directorial debut, The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, has been named IMDb’s Most Popular Indian Series of 2025.

Announcing the list on Wednesday, IMDb revealed that Aryan’s series secured the top spot, followed by Zahan Kapoor’s Black Warrant, Jaideep Ahlawat’s Paatal Lok Season 2, Panchayat Season 4, and Vaani Kapoor’s Mandala Murders. Other entries included Khauf (6), Special Ops Season 2 (7), Khakee: The Bengal Chapter (8), The Family Man Season 3 (9), and Pankaj Tripathi’s Criminal Justice: A Family Matter (10).

The rankings are based on global page views from IMDb’s 250 million-plus monthly users for Indian series released between January 1 and November 30, 2025, with an average rating of 6 or above. Notably, seven of the top ten series are crime thrillers, and six are either new seasons or extensions of existing franchises.

Aryan Khan Reacts

Humbled by the recognition, Aryan said the series was designed to “shake the room and own the conversation.” He described the show as a celebration of “the madness, the magic, the mischief, and the raw ambition that fuels this industry.”

“Seeing The Ba**ds of Bollywood* as the most popular web series on IMDb feels exactly like what we wanted to do — define a genre in the modern era, a pop cultural phenomenon,” he said. Aryan also pointed to the social media buzz surrounding the show — memes, fan edits, debates, and widespread engagement — as proof that it has entered the cultural conversation.

Launched on Netflix on September 18, the satirical comedy stars Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, and Bobby Deol, with pivotal roles for Anya Singh, Mona Singh, and Manoj Pahwa. The series offers a satirical take on Bollywood, exploring the power struggles within the industry and the challenges faced by outsiders striving to stay relevant.

“Nothing was sugar-coated. We told the story the way it deserved to be told, and audiences across the world showed up for it in a massive way,” Aryan said. “This is just the beginning.”