Best of the Best Review: Lena Khan's Dance Comedy

Maya (Ramakrishnan) and Anjali (Kedia) are inseparable UCLA undergrads who've been dancing together since they were kids at family weddings. When a campus Bollywood-fusion competition announces its biggest season yet, the duo decides this is their moment. But the road to nationals is paved with egos, scheming rival teams, and a coach (Hasan Minhaj, clearly having the time of his life) who treats a college dance-off like it's the Super Bowl. As the stakes rise, Maya and Anjali's friendship gets put through the wringer - because nothing tests a bond like competing for the same spotlight.

Let's get the obvious out of the way: this movie is fun. Like, grinning-in-your-seat, elbowing-your-neighbor-during-the-dance-numbers fun. Lena Khan keeps the energy cranked to eleven, and the choreography is genuinely jaw-dropping. The Bollywood-fusion sequences are a blast of color, rhythm, and athleticism, and they're shot with a kinetic zing that'll make you want to sign up for a dance class you'll absolutely never attend.

But the secret sauce here is Ramakrishnan and Kedia. Their chemistry is the kind that makes you believe these two have been finishing each other's sentences since middle school. Ramakrishnan brings that trademark sharp comedic timing - she can land a punchline with just her eyebrows - while Kedia gives Anjali a warmth and vulnerability that keeps the film from floating away on its own confetti. When the script asks them to fight, it stings. When it asks them to dance, it soars.

Hasan Minhaj is a delight as the perpetually exasperated coach, tossing off lines with the confidence of a man who knows he's stealing every scene he's in. Chaneil Kular and Ankur Rathee round out the ensemble with solid comedic support, though a few of the rival-team characters could've used more shading than a one-note "villain" routine.

If there's a stumble, it's in the middle stretch. The film occasionally gets bogged down in competition logistics - who's qualifying, who's cheating, who's dating whom - when all we really want is more dancing and more banter. A sharper edit could've trimmed ten minutes and kept the momentum humming. Still, the screenplay (blessedly funny, with jokes that land more often than they miss) keeps things clipping along, and the big finale is a genuine showstopper that'll have you clapping like you're actually in the auditorium.

Is it predictable? Sure. You can see every beat coming from a mile away. But predictability isn't a crime when the execution is this charming. Best of the Best knows exactly what it is - a warm, witty crowd-pleaser about ambition, friendship, and the terrifying realization that your best friend might also be your fiercest competition.

Pros

• Ramakrishnan and Kedia's chemistry is electric and genuinely moving
• The Bollywood-fusion dance sequences are spectacularly choreographed and shot
• Hasan Minhaj is hilarious in every single scene
• Sharp, quotable dialogue that keeps the laughs coming
• A finale that earns its standing ovation

Cons

• The middle act sags under competition logistics
• Some rival characters are cardboard-thin
• The plot hits every predictable beat you expect
• Could easily lose ten minutes in the edit

Best of the Best isn't rewriting the playbook, but it's executing the hell out of it. With two irresistible leads, killer dance numbers, and a script that's funny without trying too hard, this is the kind of movie that reminds you why you love going to the theater. It's a win - by a landslide. Grab your crew, grab some popcorn, and get ready to groove. This one earns its title.