The Story Behind ‘Best of the Best,’ Netflix’s New Bollywood Dance Comedy

Long before they met, Ramakrishnan was a huge fan of Patriot Act, a Netflix series in which Minhaj wielded punchlines and PowerPoint presentations to unpack politics and the perils of unchecked capitalism.

“The first time I met you was way later at one of your first ever performances of Hasan Hates Ronnie / Ronnie Hates Hasan,” she tells Minhaj, referring to his live comedy tour with Ronny Chieng.

“And you were in full costume, right? You were dressed as Princess Leia or something like that?”

“It wasn’t a costume,” says Maitreyi. You can hear the eyeroll in her voice. “It was fashion.”

“Wait wait,” Minhaj says, shrinking.

“But it’s fine. Whatever. Wouldn’t expect you to know, Minhaj.”

“You had a full hood.”

“It was a karate gi meets Obi-Wan Kenobi up top.”

This jabbing rapport reads as a playful generational tete-a-tete between millennial and Gen Z, but it also speaks to the exchange of perspectives that informed their collaboration on Best of the Best. “What you’re seeing in the movie,” says Minhaj, “is Maitreyi and Lena coming together, and really masterminding and creating the tone and the feeling of the film.”