Rajat Bedi made a strong comeback after more than 15 years with Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Ba***ds of Bollywood. He played Jaraj Saxena, a fading actor trying to stay relevant, and earned wide praise for his performance — climbing up to the top 10 in IMDb India rankings. In interviews with Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, and others, Rajat recalled what led him back, his talks with Shah Rukh Khan, and a condition he insisted on before accepting the role.
Rajat Bedi opens up on Shah Rukh Khan’s support and his big comeback in Aryan Khan’s show
The response to his comeback
Rajat said the feedback had been overwhelming and that both critics and audiences were appreciating his performance more than ever. “My whole family saw the reception. I felt very blessed,” he shared. He added that people from the industry also contacted him: director Vivek Agnihotri messaged him, “What a great resurrection,” while Harshvardhan Rane also reached out.
Rajat reflected that his character — especially a line from the show, “Haarne aur har maanne mein farak hota hai” (“There’s a difference between losing and accepting defeat”) — seemed to resonate with many. He said, “I have technically come back after 20 years, and people are noting my patience, determination, and now look at my comeback. That latter part has inspired many… It has had a positive impact, and it’s all due to Aryan.”
How he got the role
He admitted that for about three years he had been looking for meaningful work, unaware that Aryan had the character in mind. Aryan contacted him and invited him to his office. Rajat said Aryan was certain he wanted him for the part, partly because Aryan had been a fan of Koi… Mil Gaya when he was younger. Rajat felt that his own life had echoes in the character: someone who had been on the edges of fame and was now trying to reclaim a place. Rajat also pointed out that some scenes in The Ba***ds of Bollywood — like the mocking device and a basketball moment — drew on nostalgia from his earlier career, including references to Koi… Mil Gaya.
His condition before agreeing
Despite being flattered by the offer, Rajat put forth one condition. He said, “Aryan, I’ll do this only if my son assists you.” He believed in full circle: he had once started his career connected to Shah Rukh Khan’s generation, and he wanted his son, Vivaan Bedi, to start with Aryan. Aryan agreed. Vivaan then assisted on the show for two years. Rajat also recalled having spoken to Shah Rukh Khan, asking, “Sir, what has your son made?” Shah Rukh’s reply had been supportive: “If you want to do it, my son is doing something, see if you want to do it.”
Earlier journey and stepping away
Rajat acknowledged that after Koi… Mil Gaya and other films, he felt stalled in his career. He moved to Canada, tried business ventures, including real estate, and also produced Punjabi cinema. But frustrations with lost opportunities, being overlooked in promotions, and feeling sidelined in certain films led him to step away. He said he was grateful that this new role with Aryan allowed him to return on his terms, and he hoped the industry would now offer him roles aligned with his potential.
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