‘Best of the Best’ Is Worth Every Eight Count

I got a fever, and the only prescription isn’t more cowbell. It’s more dance movies. Fifteen years ago, dance films had a moment, and the genre is due for a revival. Movies like You Got Served and Step Up gave us rewatchable cult classics that still make their rounds today. Step Up turned a singular film into a franchise millennials are still waiting to see continued. Netflix tried to capture the magic with Work It, and while it had a good cast, it didn’t quite have the moves. Lena Khan’s Best of the Best has finally cracked the code. Written by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Best of the Best doesn’t just follow the standard formula we love so much; it improves on it by taking us into the competitive world of Bollywood fusion dancing. That shift makes all the difference. 

​Childhood best friends Maya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan; Never Have I Ever) and Anjali (Priyanka Kedia; Disclosure Day) are starting their first year at UCLA. These besties are very different. Anjali, known for her beauty and natural charm, barely got into college and hopes this will be the start of forging her own path away from her mother’s desires and Maya’s sidekick shadow. Meanwhile, Maya hopes to create a legacy that erases her viral moment as “drone strike girl,” a name she earned during a high school performance that went awry. She’s smart but can’t take direction, a combination that doesn’t exactly win her friends on any team. 

On their first night of college, they go to the SASA (South Asian Student Association) mixer to check out some of the extracurriculars their new college has to offer. There, they watch UCLA’s Bollywood dance club perform, led by heartthrob Ronak (Ankur Rathee; Undekhi), giving us the first glimpse of the difference between our two leads. During the performance, Anjali imagines she’s dancing with the lead on stage, while Maya imagines she is the lead. Maya is suddenly stung by the dance bug and pulls Anjali to try out for the team. They make it, but the push toward the “Best of the Best” U.S. Championship quickly raises the stakes and puts their friendship on the line. 

There’s one main thing that can ruin a dance film, and that’s horrible choreography. Some of the more recent films, like Work It, leave much to be desired. Dance films have to have stellar performances that make you want to get up and dance, too. Setting this film around dances inspired by Bollywood cinema is chef’s kiss. Not only are the performances realistic for a collegiate team and super creative, but making the routines focus on a culture-specific space makes them even more captivating. Plus, the soundtrack includes a variety of bangers, including Truth Hurts’ and “Addictive.” 

Minhaj is known for his comedy, and he and Venkataramanujam don’t disappoint with the playful banter throughout the film. Jokes and one-liners are only as funny as their delivery, and this cast of predominantly South Asians is full of characters who, in small moments, leave a lasting mark. They manage to craft a script that gives the entire ensemble their time to shine so no one is overlooked or forgettable, which is no easy feat when juggling so many actors.

Best of the Best doesn’t succeed on dance routines alone; it has a relatable story led by actors with real chemistry. Ramakrishnan and Kedia have a believable bond as Maya and Anjali. It doesn’t take us long to invest in their friendship. We watch the seams of their friendship begin to fray as each pulls in a different direction. It’s a tale as old as time, but one we can relate to because we’ve all been there. As we get older, our goals and desires change because we evolve. Maya and Anjali not only want different things, but they also fail to communicate that to each other, which leaves room for disappointment.​

Maya is so concerned with what other people think and spends so much time fighting to be seen that she doesn’t even recognize the people around her who have always seen her and accepted her for who she is, like the off-the-grid cutie Arjun (Chaneil Kular; Mutiny). In a tense moment, she reveals that she’s always felt shadowed by Anjali’s light, always working harder to get less than her. But that unrelenting fight blinds Maya to the fact that she’s already won, especially when it comes to the budding friendships and relationships she’s establishing on and off the dance team, and that realization gives her conflict real weight.​

My one gripe is that a more impactful story seemed to fester beneath the surface, and the writers sidestepped it. South Asian children, especially women, carry a weight of expectation. There were moments that seemed to allude to the cultural issues burdening South Asian young adults, but because they stayed so faint, I couldn’t tell whether that was intentional or accidental. Even in a lighthearted film like this one, there’s room to do real work unpacking taboo topics that affect so many, and perhaps a South Asian woman on the writing team would have helped expose that blind spot. Even without that depth, the film remains a good time.

Best of the Best checks all the boxes of a classic dance flick. It’s led by two actors who share a wavelength, making every interaction feel natural. The script and choreography honor the culture they represent. And it’s super funny, with a few one-liners that are sure to be memed before the weekend is out. In true dance movie fashion, I wouldn’t mind another installment of this film in the future. The final eight count reminds us to dance longer, love our friends harder, and fight for the freedom to choose who and what we want out of life. And, since the world can end at any moment- an all-too-real joke the film makes- we’ve gotta live life to the fullest while we still can.