Maitreyi Ramakrishnan plays Maya Krishnaraj and Priyanka Kedia plays Anjali, childhood best friends who join UCLA's competitive dance team. Best of the Best is a 2026 Netflix coming-of-age comedy about collegiate Bollywood-fusion dance.
That term means stage routines that blend Hindi-film dance with hip-hop, classical Indian dance and contemporary styles. The film was directed by Lena Khan from a screenplay by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam. American Kahani describes it in the joyful South Asian-centered dance film report as a crowd-pleasing ensemble story centered on South Asian college dancers.
Table of Contents
- Who are Maya and Anjali?
- Who fills out UCLA Agni?
- Which adults shape the story?
- What is the competition and where to watch?
Who are Maya and Anjali?
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan stars as Maya Krishnaraj, a UCLA freshman whose close bond with Anjali faces pressure from competition. People identifies Maya as the film's central freshman dancer in the exclusive People interview. Her arc connects romance, friendship and team ambition.
Priyanka Kedia stars as Anjali, Maya's inseparable childhood best friend and dance partner. The two enter UCLA together and audition for the same competitive team. Their friendship, not a rivalry alone, drives the central choice about loyalty and winning.
Who fills out UCLA Agni?
Maya and Anjali dance for UCLA Agni, the school's competitive Bollywood-fusion team. Ankur Rathee plays Ronak, the team's leader.
Chaneil Kular plays Arjun, Maya's boyfriend. The wider ensemble also includes Lilly Singh, Nico Greetham and Becky Alex. For quick reference:.
- Maya Krishnaraj — Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, freshman dancer
- Anjali — Priyanka Kedia, Maya's best friend and partner
- Ronak — Ankur Rathee, Agni leader
- Arjun — Chaneil Kular, Maya's boyfriend
Which adults shape the story?
Hasan Minhaj plays UCLA Professor Hamza Latif while also co-writing and producing the film. His role links campus authority to the dancers' competitive path. PrimeTimer details that dual acting and writing role in the PrimeTimer release guide.
Janina Gavankar plays Rekha, Anjali's mother. Rekha brings family expectation into Anjali's college decisions. That mother-daughter pressure gives the dance season stakes beyond trophies.
What is the competition and where to watch?
Maya and Anjali join Agni to chase the U.S. national championship. Practices, cuts and stage results test their friendship through the season.
Arjun reconciles with Maya after the final performance, closing her personal arc. The film premiered September 9, 2026 and began streaming on Netflix September 18, 2026. It runs 112 minutes with a PG-13 rating. The full ensemble is available only on Netflix.