'Mannequin-like figure': Mahesh Bhatt spills tea on daughter Alia's movies

Alia's debut did not make cut but Mahesh gushed about Alia’s stunning performances in Highway and Udta Punjab

In a recent interview, the renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt opened up about daughter Alia Bhatt's journey and evolution as an actor, listing his favourite performances of hers – and spoiler alert – her debut in Student of the Year didn't make the cut.

Mahesh gushed about Alia’s stunning performances in Highway and Udta Punjab. He was particularly amazed by how Alia, a girl raised in the bustling urban environment of Mumbai's Juhu, managed to nail an "adivasi" accent in Udta Punjab.

“I was absolutely blown away by her performance in Udta Punjab,” Mahesh said. “To think that this Juhu girl, who grew up in our home like any normal family, could master the accent of an Adivasi from Chhattisgarh was astounding. I was left in awe.”

But Mahesh didn’t mince words about Student of the Year either. He remarked, “Her raw power, her ability to immerse herself in such vulnerable roles and to bare her heart in films like Highway and Udta Punjab marks a departure from that Mannequin-like figure in Student of the Year. It's incredible to witness the evolution of your child.”

Alia Bhatt's journey

Student of the Year, directed by Karan Johar, was released in 2012 and launched not only Alia's career but also those of Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra. Since then, Alia has been on a roll, starring in films like 2 States, Gully Boy, Kapoor and Sons, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Kalank, and more.

She even made her Hollywood debut alongside Gal Gadot in Heart of Stone. Alia also worked with her dad on Sadak 2 with Aditya Roy Kapur and Sanjay Dutt, although that film didn’t quite hit the mark.

But fear not, Alia fans! She's all set to dazzle again with upcoming projects like Vasan Bala’s Jigra and a YRF spy universe movie, Alpha. It's clear that Alia's journey is far from over, and we can expect plenty more show-stopping performances from her in the future.