When Aryan Khan’s much-anticipated directorial debut The Bads of Bollywood dropped on Netflix in September, fans were delighted to hear the cult track Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela from Gupt (1997) playing in the background.
Now, filmmaker Rajiv Rai who produced and directed the Bobby Deol-led thriller has opened up about how that iconic song made its way into the series, and why he refused to charge Shah Rukh Khan for it.
In an interview with YouTuber Ravi Buley, Rajiv Rai revealed that the first call about the song came from Shah Rukh Khan’s long-time manager, Pooja Dadlani.
“She told me that Shah Rukh Khan’s production house was interested in using the song,” he shared. “Then Shah Rukh himself got on the phone and said, ‘This is my son’s first project, and I need your support and goodwill.’”
Also Read: The Bads of Bollywood Review: Aryan Khan packs a power-packed masala punch in his directorial debut
Rajiv Rai said the request immediately struck a chord with him. “I thought I won’t charge any money for this, and I won’t even bring up the money aspect. He even offered it to me, but I didn’t,” the producer said.
The filmmaker further explained that he usually doesn’t allow others to use his songs without permission. “Sometimes people just go straight to the music company and take the soundtrack from them, which is wrong,” he pointed out. “It was nice of Shah Rukh’s team to reach out directly and seek approval.”
Calling Shah Rukh a “dignified” and “respected” man, Rajiv recounted his response to the actor, “I said I will give whatever you need.” He also mentioned how Pooja Dadlani called him several times to coordinate, but every time, Shah Rukh would take over the call himself. “I told him not to worry. I will not change my mind. I trust you very much. This is your son’s first project, and I would like to support it in whatever way I can,” he recalled.
The filmmaker added, “I am glad that you have considered my song.”
Aryan Khan’s The Bads of Bollywood, which stars Lakshya, Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, Anya Singh, and Mona Singh, premiered on Netflix on September 18, 2025.
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