Alia Bhatt: “My vanity comes when off camera”
Alia Bhatt is an actress which has absolutely shown her talent in leaps and bounds through her first films since her debut in 2012. Having starred in recent success ‘Udta Punjab’ (2016), Bhatt is set for more different films and is all set to be seen with her first Khan in ‘Dear Zindagi’. The actress was recently in London where BizAsia‘s Sanoobar Patel caught up with her.
First, congratulations on the success of ��Udta Punjab�۪. How do you feel about the way your character was received by the audience?
Thank you. I feel really grateful. I feel really happy that what we set out to make was released in it�۪s whole form, and people are appreciating it whee they understood the film. I hope that they have taken it as an inspiration on those who are combating drug problems and drug related issues. That�۪s why we went out to make this film, to show the world as it is an education at the end of the day; to learn about part of your country or part of the world that�۪s going through something like this.
You�۪ve had a very busy working schedule shifting from one project to the next, from ��Shaandaar�۪ (2015) to ��Kapoor and Sons�۪ (2016) and then ��Udta Punjab�۪ (2016). Now you are set to move on to other projects, do you find it easy transitioning from one role to another?
No nothing’s easy, and that�۪s what comes with the career and with the path that I have chosen. It�۪s going to be a little spontaneous, and it�۪s also going to be difficult even when you�۪re not performing or acting, when you�۪re doing other things like promoting a movie. We�۪re doing a dance show now, and I mean that�۪s also the fun of it and it�۪s also what you love about the business, what you love about acting. I mean I love the fact that I play such distinctive characters, and it’s like you�۪re living a parallel life, which is also sometimes disorienting which can also be what you love.
We had posted on social media that we will be talking to you, and we�۪ve had a great response from your fans who are all very interested in your next project with Shah Rukh Khan. What can you tell us about it?
I don�۪t want to speak too much about it yet because I feel there�۪s a certain mystery about it that I�۪m enjoying, with the fact that people know nothing about it. Also the visuals will speak a lot for the film. I know there�۪s a lot of speculations whether it�۪s a love story and how is it possible and how are they coming together. I can say for sure that it�۪s something that we haven�۪t seen. Ever. And it�۪s a fun and very interesting film. I think people will enjoy it.
What�۪s been your experience in working with Shah Rukh Khan?
It�۪s been fantastic. I mean there�۪s nothing short of magical. He�۪s my most favourite person to work with and he�۪s great on set. I�۪ve learnt so much from him and I had a great vibe with him, and I hope I get to work with him more often.
��Badrinath Ki Dulhania�۪ is coming up soon, and you�۪ll be working with Varun Dhawan for the third time. What�۪s it like working with him now? Do you feel both of you have grown since you first worked together?
Definitely. It has been a while since we�۪ve worked together, we both worked on Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014) and since then we�۪ve both done quite a few films and come back together. It�۪s always great to work with Varun, he�۪s someone who�۪s always been a very important part of my life, because we started off our journeys together and I know him very very well. There�۪s a certain comfort that you feel with a family, not with just Varun, also with Shashank who�۪s the director for ��Humpty�۪. It’s like the whole team coming back together, like a family coming back and working together. So it�۪s great, and the film�۪s also very interesting, I�۪m quite excited about it.
Has your outlook of the Indian Film Industry changed since you started working in it?
I think it changes everyday. The films that are coming, the content that is out there, with this whole digital thing going crazy now, it�۪s all moving really fast and moving really well. I mean my perspective on cinema has changed a lot because I�۪ve also exposed myself to a lot of cinema, watched a lot of new movies. I used to only watch Bollywood movies at one time, and now I�۪m opening myself up to other films, like regional cinema or Hollywood films as well. There are a lot of films I hadn�۪t seen as a child because you know you don�۪t expose yourself to those kind of films so early on. But now I guess it�۪s better late than never, so I�۪m really going for it now.
There was a lot of controversy regarding your look in ��Student of the Year�۪ (2012). Do you feel the pressure to look good while you�۪re on screen?
No, I feel when I�۪m playing a character I need to look the character. Whether the character�۪s good looking or not I don�۪t think it matters. Usually everybody is good looking, so it�۪s always great. But I think for me, my vanity only comes when I�۪m off camera, when I�۪m staring at myself in the mirror.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
I don�۪t like that question (laughs). I don�۪t like seeing myself anywhere, in the next 5 years. I want my life to surprise me everyday, and I don�۪t want to set goals I just want milestones.
What would be your ideal role?
I don�۪t believe there�۪s anything ideal. I think the universe just throws an opportunity your way and whether you go for that and whether that works out is an ideal situation. There�۪s nothing really ideal for you that�۪s created. I think it�۪s about taking risks and I want to after ��Udta Punjab�۪ do an out and out come and take that risk.
We got in touch with some of your fans who also had a few questions to ask you.
Some of your fans are really eager to know if you are confirmed for ��Aashiqui 3�۪ and if so when do you start shooting?
No confirmation yet.
Are you a part of the upcoming ��Itefaaq�۪ remake?
No i�۪m not.
What is it that keeps you the most humble and grounded?
My family and my friends.
What do you like doing mostly on your holiday?
Chilling, shopping, eating, sleeping (laughs).
And finally, Alia Bhatt in one word?
It�۪s two words but not enough.
BizAsia would like to thank all of Alia Bhatt’s fans that contacted us with questions, all of which we unfortunately weren’t able to include.