Netflix's Best of the Best faces backlash over a joke referencing the 2021 Kabul evacuation. Read full details, viewer reactions, and movie updates.
Streaming giant Netflix is facing growing backlash following the September 18, 2026 release of its collegiate dance comedy Best of the Best. Directed by Lena Khan (Flora & Ulysses) and co-written by comedian Hasan Minhaj alongside Prashanth Venkataramanujam, the film follows childhood best friends Maya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Anjali (Priyanka Kedia) navigating the competitive world of UCLA's Bollywood-fusion dance team. However, a throwaway line delivered early in the movie referencing the traumatic August 2021 Kabul evacuation has ignited widespread criticism across X and TikTok, with viewers calling the dialogue insensitive toward real human suffering.
What Is the Kabul Joke in Netflix's Best of the Best?
The controversial dialogue occurs during a casual conversation between main character Maya and a female friend as they adjust to college life at UCLA.
- The Dialogue in Question: In the scene, Maya tries to contextualize how aggressively male students pursue her friend, remarking, "Guys throw themselves at you like you're the last plane out of Kabul."
- Reference to August 2021 Events: The punchline refers directly to the chaotic military withdrawal from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, following the Taliban's return to power.
- Trivializing Historical Trauma: Viewers pointed out that using an event where desperate civilians clung to departing aircraft as a dating punchline fundamentally trivializes a major humanitarian tragedy.
How Have Viewers and Social Media Users Reacted to the Controversy?
Online criticism spread quickly across entertainment forums and social networks shortly after the film's weekend debut.
- Calls for Accountability on X: Afghan creators and online commentators directed their critiques directly at Hasan Minhaj, emphasizing that real human lives were lost during the evacuation and stating, "Our trauma isn't your cheap punchline."
- Demands for an Official Apology: Multiple users called on Netflix, director Lena Khan, and the writing team to acknowledge the criticism publicly and apologize to Afghan communities affected by the crisis.
- Contrast With Diaspora Themes: Critics expressed disappointment that a film created to celebrate South Asian identity and diaspora culture included a line making light of regional conflict and civilian panic.
What Is the Story and Background of Netflix's Best of the Best?
Despite the social media controversy, Best of the Best aims to highlight the vibrant, real-world collegiate South Asian dance circuit that originated in New York in 2005.
- College Dance Circuit Setting: The narrative centers on UCLA freshmen Maya and Anjali as they audition for UCLA Agni, an underdog Bollywood-fusion dance squad aiming to win the prestigious Best of the Best national championship.
- Original Musical Score: Legendary composer A.R. Rahman created an original song for the soundtrack in tribute to Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's Tamil heritage.
- Current Response Status: Neither Netflix nor the film's creative leads, including Khan and Minhaj, have issued a formal response addressing the scene.
Stream Best of the Best directly on Netflix.