The official trailer for Netflix’s Best of the Best has dropped, and it delivers pure joyful chaos. Starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Priyanka Kedia as childhood best friends who dive headfirst into the cutthroat world of collegiate Bollywood-fusion dance, the film promises laughter, friendship, cultural pride, and some seriously impressive choreography. Directed by Lena Khan and written by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Best of the Best arrives on Netflix on September 18, 2026.
Best Of The Best | Netflix | Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Friendship, Ambition, and the Road to Championship
Maya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Anjali (Priyanka Kedia) have been best friends since childhood, bonded by dance and a shared sense of identity. When they arrive at UCLA, Maya convinces Anjali to try out for the school’s competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team. What starts as a fun way to stay connected to their roots quickly becomes a high-stakes battle for a national title. The trailer makes it clear: this is no casual after-school club. The team is intense, the competition is ruthless, and the pressure to be the best of the best is relentless.
Viewers get flashes of exhausting rehearsals, dramatic hair sacrifices in the name of art, team rivalries, and the classic “random white teammate who somehow knows more about Indian culture than everyone else” joke that lands with perfect comic timing. The energy is infectious. Dance sequences look sharp, colorful, and full of life, blending traditional Bollywood elements with contemporary fusion styles that feel authentic to the real collegiate circuit.
Hasan Minhaj, who co-wrote the script and appears in the film, has described the project as rooted in real experiences of the Desi diaspora and the unique community that forms around these dance teams. The result is a story that feels both specific and universally relatable—about growing up, finding your people, and discovering how far you’re willing to push yourself for something you love.
A Cast Ready to Take the Stage
The ensemble brings together familiar faces and fresh talent, creating a vibrant group that reflects the diversity of the college dance world:
| Actor | Role / Notable Background |
|---|---|
| Maitreyi Ramakrishnan | Maya – Lead; known for Never Have I Ever |
| Priyanka Kedia | Anjali – Lead; Maya’s childhood best friend |
| Hasan Minhaj | Supporting role; co-writer |
| Ankur Rathee | Team captain / key supporting role |
| Janina Gavankar | Supporting role |
| Chaneil Kular | Ensemble |
| Lilly Singh | Supporting appearance |
| Shreya Navile, Becky Alex, Nico Greetham and others | Dance team members and rivals |
Ramakrishnan and Kedia underwent months of intensive dance training—multiple classes a day, long weeks of rehearsal—to prepare for the film’s big performance sequences. Director Lena Khan worked with choreographers to ensure the dances felt organic to the story rather than simply inserted as spectacle. The trailer suggests the hard work paid off: the movement looks polished, energetic, and full of personality.
Why This Story Feels Fresh
Dance competition movies have a rich history—Bring It On, Pitch Perfect, Step Up, and the ABCD films all proved that the genre can deliver both entertainment and heart. Best of the Best updates the formula with a specific cultural lens. Collegiate Bollywood-fusion teams have become important spaces for South Asian students to build community, express identity, and compete at a high level. By centering that world, the film offers representation that feels overdue and authentic.
The trailer balances broad comedy with quieter moments of vulnerability. Maya is described as combative and full of spunk, yet also deeply in need of connection. Anjali’s journey appears more reluctant at first, making their partnership the emotional core of the story. Themes of friendship under pressure, the weight of family expectations, and the joy of cultural expression run through the footage.
Music choices in the trailer, including a noticeable Jai Paul track, signal a soundtrack that will mix contemporary sounds with the tabla-driven energy of fusion dance. The overall vibe is bright, colorful, and unapologetically fun without feeling lightweight.
September 18 Cannot Come Soon Enough
Best of the Best arrives at a moment when audiences are hungry for feel-good stories that still have edge. The combination of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s proven comedic timing, a sharp script from Minhaj and Venkataramanujam, and Lena Khan’s direction creates strong expectations. Early reactions to the trailer have been enthusiastic, with many viewers celebrating the chance to see Ramakrishnan in a college setting and cheering the focus on South Asian friendship and ambition.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of dance competition films, a Never Have I Ever devotee ready to follow “Devi” into the next chapter of life, or simply looking for a joyful, high-energy watch, Best of the Best looks ready to deliver. The road to the championship is cutthroat, the rehearsals are brutal, and the friendship is everything. On September 18, the team takes the stage.
