Netflix’s new comedy Best of the Best has sparked criticism over a line referencing the chaotic 2021 evacuation from Kabul. Viewers and Afghanistan-focused commentator Shabnam Nasimi have questioned whether the reference trivialises a traumatic episode.
Netflix’s recently released comedy Best of the Best has drawn online criticism over a joke referencing the 2021 evacuation of Kabul, when thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals attempted to leave Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power.
The controversy centres on a scene involving Maya, played by Never Have I Ever star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. During a conversation with a female friend, Maya says: “Guys throw themselves at you like you’re the last plane out of Kabul.”
The line has prompted reactions on social media, with some viewers arguing that the reference turns a traumatic historical event into a punchline.
Why Is the Best of the Best Joke Being Criticised?
Critics have focused on the connection between the joke and the desperate scenes witnessed during the August 2021 Kabul evacuation.
One X user criticised the involvement of comedian and writer Hasan Minhaj, asking what aspect of the Kabul evacuation was intended to be humorous.
The user wrote that the reference involved real people who were trying to escape the Taliban and concluded: “Our trauma isn’t your cheap punchline.”
The criticism reflects a broader question about the use of real-world tragedies in comedy, particularly when the events involved deaths and people attempting to flee a conflict.
The reaction, however, is primarily based on viewers’ interpretations of the scene and does not establish that the filmmakers intended to mock Afghans or the victims of the evacuation.
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Afghanistan Commentator Shabnam Nasimi Reacts
The scene has also drawn criticism from Shabnam Nasimi, a journalist and Afghanistan-focused storyteller.
In a video discussing the line, Nasimi questioned the film’s approach to South Asian and Muslim American representation and criticised the decision to use the Kabul evacuation as part of a joke.
She also referred to Hasan Minhaj and the film’s creative team while arguing that people with connections to the broader Muslim and South Asian American community should be sensitive to the experiences of Afghans.
Her comments added another dimension to the online discussion, shifting the debate beyond the individual joke to questions about representation and how Hollywood portrays traumatic events involving South Asian and Muslim communities.
What Happened During the 2021 Kabul Evacuation?
The reference in the film points to one of the most widely documented episodes of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In August 2021, the Taliban rapidly regained control of Afghanistan as US and allied forces prepared to leave the country. Large numbers of Afghans and foreign nationals subsequently gathered at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, hoping to secure flights out of the country.
Images and videos from the airport showed enormous crowds trying to reach departing aircraft.
One of the most disturbing incidents occurred when people attempted to cling to a US Air Force aircraft as it took off. Some people subsequently fell from the aircraft, with the footage becoming one of the defining images of the chaotic evacuation.
Among those who died was 17-year-old Afghan footballer Zaki Anwari, according to reports cited in coverage of the controversy.
The evacuation was also overshadowed by a deadly ISIS-K suicide bombing outside Kabul airport on August 26, 2021, which killed Afghan civilians and US service members.
Because of these events, the phrase “the last plane out of Kabul” carries a meaning connected to a real humanitarian crisis for many people who experienced or followed the evacuation.
What Is Best of the Best About?
Best of the Best is an American comedy-drama centred on Maya and Anjali, childhood friends played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Priyanka Kedia.
The two characters join UCLA’s competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team and set their sights on a national dance competition.
The film explores friendship, competition and South Asian American identity through the world of collegiate dance.
The cast also includes Hasan Minhaj, Ankur Rathee, Janina Gavankar, Chaneil Kular and Lilly Singh.
The film is directed by Lena Khan and written by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam.
Best of the Best began streaming on Netflix on September 18, 2026.
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No Public Response From Netflix or Filmmakers as of September 22
As of September 22, 2026, there was no public response cited from Netflix, director Lena Khan or Hasan Minhaj specifically addressing the criticism surrounding the Kabul reference.
The online discussion therefore remains centred on viewers’ reactions to the dialogue and the wider question of whether real-world tragedies should be used as comedy references.
The controversy also highlights the difficulty of balancing comedy with historical events that remain relatively recent and deeply personal for affected communities.
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