Alia Bhatt is no ordinary 25-year-old. With over twenty million followers on Instagram and 17 million on Twitter, Bhatt is a voice to reckon with and an icon for millennials in India. But, spend a few minutes with her, and you will realize that the actress is just like any other twenty-something.
With two feet firmly planted on the ground, she has no starry airs. Her casual charms, animated expressions, and infectious laughter are a refreshing departure from the rehearsed grace of other Bollywood heroines. “I don’t believe in setting goals,” she declares casually. "Goals are very limiting, because when you meet those goals, then what? So, better not to set goals, just be hard working and relentless. Keep doing the same thing and keep getting better at it.”
Goals or not, in hardly six years, the actress has proved herself as a powerhouse of talent with films like Highway, Udta Punjab, and 2 states. She has also had her own share of commercial success with, Student of The Year and Badrinath Ki Dulhania. And now, with films like Gully Boy, Kalank and Brahmastra on the way, it seems like Bhatt's career graph can only go up.
The actress knows that she wants stardom as well as critical acclaim and if her filmography is any indication, she has carefully plucked out films that would give her a taste of both. "I want to be a diva; I want to be glamorous and feature on top of all fashion portals. However, I also want to win National Awards. I want to have the balance of both," confessed Bhatt with her dimpled smile.
Bhatt's upcoming film Raazi happens to be a lot of firsts for her. This is the first time she is working in a period drama as well as a film based on true events. This also happens to be the first time that Bhat is working with Meghna Gulzar. While Gulzar has been singing Bhatt's praises in all her interviews, the actress too seems to have really enjoyed working with her.
Talking about Gulzar, the Raazi actress said, "I really enjoyed working with Meghna. I really liked her films, especially her last film Talwar. It left a big impact on me. In my opinion, she is one of the most detailed directors I have worked with. Her attention to details is so specific that the world she creates feels very real; you get sucked into her world."
Raazi is an espionage thriller where Bhatt plays the role of Sehmat, an Indian spy who marries a Pakistani army man just so that she can access information about Pakistan’s army. During the interview, Bhatt revealed that she could not relate to her character at all.
"I can't relate to Sehmat. It's too out there and it is too much of a selfless act that she has done for her country. I don't think any of us has that ability to do that today. But, I can empathize with her and I can understand her," said the actress.
"Every moment that I was shooting for Raazi, I had to keep reminding myself that what you are doing is acting, this actually happened," she added.
Raazi also happens to be the first film in which Bhatt shares screen space with her mother, Soni Razdan. Reminiscing about her mother's acting career, the actress said, “She did not get her due."
"I think what happened is that she (Soni Razdan) had two daughters and had to look after and take care of them. When your daughters are growing up, it becomes very difficult for you to find work...I feel like she definitely has not got her due, given the kind of actress she is," said Bhatt.
However, on an optimistic note, she added that this year her mother has many releases and she is really looking forward to them. "She is doing Raazi, and she is doing another film, called Yours Truly which is supposed to be fantastic. I have not seen it. My dad saw it and said it is outstanding. The actress confessed that after watching the movie, her father told her that her mother is better than her. She agreed.
Bhatt thinks soon her mother will be busier than her.
While that may as well be a possibility, Alia Bhatt, for now, happens to be one of the busiest actresses in Bollywood. She just wrapped shoot for Gully Boy and is now working back-to-back on Kalank and Brahmastra. However, Bhatt has been trying hard to maintain a work-life balance.
"There has to be a will and want to maintain balance," said Bhatt. "There are days when I am feeling terrible; I am tired and exhausted but I make plans with my friends and I keep those plans because these moments with them are very important. I don't get to see them often but I have to let them know that they are as important to me as my work. They are a part of my life and so are my parents and family, so I try and make time for them."
While the actress is very close to her dad Mahesh Bhatt, she said that she doesn't always reach out to him to discuss a film before signing it. The 25-year-old actress said that she likes to follow her own intuition when it comes to choosing new work. "I instinctively don't pick out the same kinds of films." said the actress.
Talking about her career the actress said, "Every film I have done have credited me in some way, and let me tell you Student of The Year has given me my biggest fan base, so I credit that film for my fan following."
Bhatt, who debuted in Karan Johar's Student of The Year in 2012, was very tight-lipped about the rumors of being a part of the sequel or doing a cameo in it. However, she praised the two newcomers Ananya Pandey, and Tara Sutaria who will be making their debut in SOTY 2.
"Both of them are super bright and have an amazing presence. They are already lighting up that one picture (the poster) on fire, so I am really excited to see what they will do with the film," said Bhatt, who only a few years ago, was a newcomer herself and is now one of the biggest Bollywood stars.
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