Netflix's Best of the Best, the Lena Khan-directed coming-of-age comedy about two childhood best friends who join UCLA's competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team, didn't just borrow the culture of Bollywood dance. It built its soundtrack around it, pulling together three decades of Indian music alongside hip-hop, Punjabi pop, Tamil and Telugu hits, and a brand-new original from A.R. Rahman. The result is a 21-track lineup that moves from the '80s to the '20s without ever feeling like a compilation playlist.
“Baazigar” by DIVINE and Armani White
A hip-hop reimagining that bridges Mumbai's rap scene with West Coast bravado, built for the film's competitive-dance energy.
“Big Dawgs” by Hanumankind and Kalmi
Bass-heavy hip-hop, and one of Indian rap's biggest global breakouts.
“Kaliyaan” by Lost Stories and Bawari Basanti
Electronic folk-fusion that pairs dance-floor production with Rajasthani-inflected vocals.
“Baazigar O Baazigar” by Alka Yagnik and Kumar Sanu
The original from Baazigar (1993) and still one of the era's most recognizable.
“Taambdi Chaamdi (KSHMR Remix)” by Kratex and Shreyas
A M-House rap and EDM track given a fresh spin with KSHMR's remix treatment.
“Thathaka” by Arivu
Tamil rap rooted in folk cadence and social commentary.
“Tujhe Dekha To” by Lata Mangeshkar and Kumar Sanu
The romantic centerpiece of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).
“Bom Diggy” by Zack Knight and Jasmin Walia
UK-Asian dance-pop that crossed over into mainstream Bollywood rotation.
“Devil” by Sidhu Moose Wala
Raw Punjabi hip-hop/trap, one of the late artist's most defining releases.
“Enjoy Enjaami” by Dhee featuring Arivu and Santhosh Narayanan
A Tamil folk-EDM crossover that became a global streaming phenomenon.
“Ghungroo” by Arijit Singh, Shilpa Rao, Vishal-Shehkhar and Kumaar
A brassy, Latin-tinged Bollywood dance number from War (2019).
“Maamadura” by Santhosh Narayanan, Dhee and Vivek
Tamil mass-folk energy from the Jigarthanda DoubleX (2023) soundtrack.
“Oo Antava Oo Oo Antava” by Indravathi Chauhan, Devi Sri Prasad and Chandra Bose
A high-voltage Telugu item number from Pushpa: The Rise (2021).
“Tu Meri” by Vishal Dadlani, Vishal-Shekhar
A high-octane Bollywood dance-pop anthem from Bang Bang! (2014).
“Thoda Resham Lagta Hai” by Lata Mangeshkar
A classic folk-inspired Bollywood number from Chandni (1989).
“Bole Chudiyan” by Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik, Amit Kumar, Kavita Krishnamurthy and Jatin-Lalit
The wedding-anthem of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001).
“Mumbai Magic” by DESI TRILL featuring Natania, Subhi and Shalmali Kholgade
Afrobeats and amapiano rhythms fused with Bollywood pop.
“Mawali Qawali” by MojoJojo and D’Evil
A hip-hop and qawwali fusion track drawing on street rap energy.
“Makhna Ve” by Ashwin Adwani, Vaibhav Pani and Vivek Hariharan
Bollywood-fusion dance-pop built for a big ensemble routine.
“Dirty” by KOAD
Indian-American rapper Ajay Dodani takes Western stereotypes about Indians and flips them into a defiant hip-hop anthem.
“Aamaasee” by A.R. Rahman
Not released on streaming platforms yet, this is a brand-new original composition made for the film, blending orchestral scope with Rahman's signature textures.
What makes the Best of the Best soundtrack work is that nothing on it feels like an afterthought. A Lata Mangeshkar classic sits comfortably next to a Sidhu Moose Wala anthem and a brand-new A.R. Rahman original, and none of it feels forced. For a film built around a dance team trying to prove Bollywood belongs on a global stage, the soundtrack treats four decades of Indian music as one continuous conversation.
Tags:
A.R. Rahman
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Sidhu Moose Wala
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Hanumankind
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Lata Mangeshkar
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Vishal Dadlani
