What happens when the competitive energy of a college dance movie collides with Bollywood-fusion choreography, friendship and South Asian American identity? Netflix’s Best of the Best is preparing to answer that question with a colorful new comedy arriving September 18, 2026.
Led by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and featuring comedian Hasan Minhaj, the film enters the highly competitive world of collegiate Bollywood-fusion dance. Directed by Lena Khan, the movie follows two childhood best friends whose college experience takes an unexpected turn when they join a competitive dance team.
A Campus Story With a Bollywood Twist
At the center of Best of the Best are Maya, played by Ramakrishnan, and Anjali, portrayed by Priyanka Kedia. The longtime friends join UCLA’s Bollywood-fusion dance team and discover that reaching the national championship is considerably more demanding than they expected.
The setup may recall the familiar underdog formula of films such as Bring It On, but the cultural setting gives this story its own identity. Instead of traditional cheerleading competitions, the action revolves around Bollywood-fusion performance, combining dance styles and cultural influences in a distinctly American college environment.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Takes Center Stage
For Ramakrishnan, the film represents another opportunity to move beyond her breakout role as Devi Vishwakumar in Never Have I Ever. Her character Maya is described as energetic, outspoken and vulnerable beneath her tough exterior.
The physical demands of the project were significant. Ramakrishnan and Kedia underwent an intensive four-month dance boot camp to prepare for the choreography, helping the performances feel more authentic on screen.
That preparation could become one of the movie’s biggest strengths. Rather than treating dance simply as background spectacle, the production places choreography at the center of its storytelling, with movement reflecting competition, friendship and personal growth.
Hasan Minhaj Brings More Than Comedy
Hasan Minhaj has a particularly important role behind the camera as well as in front of it. He co-wrote the screenplay with longtime collaborator Prashanth Venkataramanujam and also serves as a producer.
Minhaj has described the project as drawing from experiences of South Asian American kids growing up in the United States. That perspective gives the comedy an opportunity to explore the tension between cultural expectations, individuality and the friendships formed during young adulthood.
Why the Film Feels Fresh
Hollywood has produced plenty of college comedies and dance competitions, but Best of the Best puts Bollywood-fusion dance at the heart of the story. That creates room for elaborate performances while also exploring cultural identity and the pressures of fitting into different worlds.
The film also arrives at a moment when audiences are increasingly looking for stories that allow South Asian characters to be funny, ambitious, complicated and joyful without reducing their identities to a single cultural storyline.
A Feel-Good September Release
With its combination of friendship, rivalry, campus life and high-energy choreography, Best of the Best could become one of Netflix’s more distinctive September releases.
The movie is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix on September 18, 2026.
For fans of college comedies, Bollywood dance and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, the film offers a colorful new take on the classic competition story. And with Hasan Minhaj helping shape the story behind the scenes, Best of the Best could deliver something more meaningful than a simple dance showdown: a celebration of friendship, identity and finding your place on campus.
Best of the Best premieres September 18, 2026, on Netflix.
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