The Rhythms of Ambition: Why Netflix’s ‘Best of the Best’ is the Defining Dance Comedy of the Year

“To be extra is to be human.” This is the mantra that drives Best of the Best, the latest feature from director Lena Khan. Arriving on Netflix this September, the film is a vibrant, soul-affirming exploration of collegiate ambition, the pressures of the digital age, and the fragile, beautiful bonds of female friendship. By centering its narrative on two computer science freshmen at UCLA—Maya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Anjali (Priyanka Kedia)—as they navigate the high-stakes, hyper-competitive world of Bollywood-fusion dance, Khan delivers a cinematic experience that is as intellectually sharp as it is physically exhilarating.

The Genesis of a Viral Friendship

The film wastes no time in establishing its stakes. Best of the Best opens with a high-school dance competition that serves as the crucible for our protagonists’ future. Maya, characterized by her headstrong, "go-big-or-go-home" attitude, orchestrates a daring, technologically ambitious routine. The result is a catastrophic failure—a malfunctioning drone strike that goes viral, turning the duo into unintended, cringeworthy internet celebrities.

This "Drone Strike" incident acts as the narrative engine for the film. It is a moment of public humiliation that binds Maya and Anjali together, forcing them to carry the weight of their viral reputation all the way to the sun-drenched quads of UCLA. For the audience, this setup provides a perfect entry point into the collegiate experience: the chaotic dorm life, the pressure of academic expectations, and the frantic search for community on a massive campus.

Chronology of a Campus Rivalry

Upon their arrival at UCLA, the duo finds themselves caught in the orbit of the university’s elite Bollywood-fusion dance team. Captained by the soon-to-graduate Ronak (Ankur Rathee), the team is laser-focused on winning a national championship. Ronak represents the traditionalist, "play-it-safe" ethos of competitive dance, prioritizing consistency and tried-and-true choreography.

This creates an immediate, friction-filled dynamic with Maya, whose creative ingenuity—and, at times, reckless ambition—threatens the team’s stability. The narrative follows a classic arc:

• The Freshman Reckoning: Maya and Anjali attempt to integrate into the team, battling both their internal insecurities and the external demands of their captain.
• The Split: Maya’s need to prove her individual worth begins to alienate her teammates and, more painfully, puts a strain on her lifelong friendship with Anjali.
• The Romantic Subplot: Anjali, struggling with "pretty privilege" and a desire to please, finds herself drawn to the team’s politics and a burgeoning connection with a character played by Sex Education star Chaneil Kular.
• The Resolution: The climax of the film—a stunning, technically precise finale—forces the characters to confront their flaws, reconcile their disparate ambitions, and realize that their friendship is the most valuable prize of all.

A Technical and Artistic Breakdown

Director Lena Khan, known for her intimate work in The Tiger Hunter and the whimsical Flora & Ulysses, proves here that she has mastered the art of the large-scale musical comedy. The film is a technical triumph, thanks in no small part to the collaborative efforts of her creative team.

Production designer Henry Dunn and costume designer Elisabeth Vastola deserve particular praise. They have created a visual language for the film that balances the specificities of South Asian identity with the modern, globalized aesthetic of today’s college student. The costumes are neither mere props nor caricatures; they serve as a bridge between tradition and the high-fashion, streetwear-influenced world of modern competitive dance.

Cinematographer Adam Carboni utilizes a glowing, warm color palette that makes the UCLA campus feel like a dreamscape, while editor Phillip J. Bartell maintains a rhythm that is both generous and brisk. The musical numbers are masterfully framed, shifting seamlessly from the grit of practice rooms to the polished, high-octane spectacle of competition stages.

Supporting Data and Cultural Context

While the film is a work of fiction, it is grounded in the very real, very current reality of competitive dance culture in the U.S. university system. The script, penned by Patriot Act alumnus Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, provides a layer of topicality that feels refreshing.

Minhaj himself appears in the film as a faculty mentor, grounding the student life in an academic context that emphasizes the severity of their dual-identity crisis: the fear of AI-driven job obsolescence versus the pursuit of artistic passion. The inclusion of figures like Lilly Singh and Janina Gavankar adds a layer of authenticity to the ensemble, grounding the high-energy, "extra" performances with seasoned, veteran authority.

Official Responses and Creative Vision

In early interviews regarding the film’s development, the creative team has emphasized that Best of the Best was designed to capture the "dual-screen lifestyle" of Gen Z. The characters are defined not just by their movements on stage, but by how they curate their presence online.

"The film is about the intersection of the performance we give the world and the reality we live in private," notes the production team. By making digital displays integral to the plot, the film avoids the trap of many collegiate dramas that treat technology as a background element rather than a core component of the characters’ self-perception.

The Implications of "Being Extra"

The ultimate success of Best of the Best lies in its ability to take a cliché—the "dance team coming-of-age story"—and elevate it through a specific, modern lens.

1. Redefining Feminine Ambition: The film challenges the notion that women must choose between being "the team player" (Anjali) or "the bold innovator" (Maya). It posits that both are necessary and that the tension between them is a source of strength.
2. The Digital Mirror: The film highlights how social media has shifted the stakes of young adulthood. A mistake isn’t just a memory; it’s a permanent digital footnote. The characters’ journey to overcome the "Drone Strike" stigma is a metaphor for the resilience required in the modern age.
3. Cultural Synthesis: By exploring Bollywood-fusion, the film does not just showcase dance; it showcases a cultural synthesis that is becoming increasingly common in the diaspora. It honors the history of the art form while pushing it into a new, contemporary frontier.

Conclusion: A Streaming Staple

Best of the Best may wrap up its narrative arcs with a touch of Hollywood convenience, but its spirit is undeniable. It functions like a well-curated streaming playlist—it is a film that you can watch on repeat, always finding new details in the choreography or the sharp, witty dialogue.

In an era of cinema that often leans toward the cynical or the overly dour, Khan’s film is a bright, neon-lit reminder of the power of youthful optimism. It is a testament to the fact that, in the messy, high-pressure world of modern college life, sometimes the only way to survive is to be a little bit "extra."

Grade: B+

Best of the Best is streaming on Netflix starting September 18.