Alia Bhatt-backed 'Don’t be shy' offers a glossy new take on coming-of-age romance

Hindi campus drama puts four young actors at the centre of a story about friendship, first love and finding your place

Alia Bhatt is backing a new generation of actors with Don’t Be Shy, a Hindi coming-of-age film that takes audiences into the familiar but complicated world of college friendships, first love and figuring out who you are.

Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film is produced by Alia and Shaheen Bhatt and stars Aarushi Bajaj, Piyush Khati, Bianca Arora and Ansh Duggal in the lead roles. The film began streaming on Amazon Prime Video on September 25.

Bhatt announced the release on her Instagram Story, writing: “Our little film, our core four and our amazing director… all yours from tonight.” The message put the spotlight on the film’s four young leads and Mukerji as the movie made its way to audiences.

At the centre of Don’t Be Shy is 20-year-old Shyamili “Shy” Das, played by Bajaj, who enters college convinced that she has her life and future completely mapped out. But college quickly proves less predictable than she imagined.

Her carefully planned existence gives way to first love, close friendships, heartbreak and unexpected complications, forcing Shy to confront the gap between the life she thought she wanted and the person she is actually becoming.

Piyush Khati plays Mayank, Bianca Arora plays Tara and Ansh Duggal plays Dhruv, forming the film’s central group as Shy’s college life becomes increasingly messy and unpredictable.

 

 

 

 

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A familiar coming-of-age formula

Variety India places Don’t Be Shy within a recognisable international campus-romance tradition, describing it as having the sharp social satire of Mean Girls, the modern charm of The Kissing Booth and the sensibilities of Off-Campus.

The publication also notes that the film ticks many of the familiar coming-of-age boxes, including “awkward adolescent romance, inevitable heartbreak, and a final-act realisation where the protagonist tries to mend broken ties with family and friends”.

But Variety also takes issue with the film’s reliance on those familiar conventions. Its review describes the campus clichés as heavy, pointing to characters who fit recognisable archetypes — from wealthy elitists and the warm, loving Das family to the stereotypical college counsellor, the nerd crushing on the popular girl, the new girl and the cheating boyfriend.

Where Don’t Be Shy distinguishes itself is in putting relatively new actors at the centre of the story.

Rather than relying on a cast of established Bollywood stars to play college students, the film allows Bajaj, Khati, Arora and Duggal to carry its central friendships and romances.

Variety notes that some of the casting does not necessarily correspond literally to the characters’ ages, but instead reflects a familiar convention of American coming-of-age films, where actors can be older than the young characters they portray.

That choice also gives the film a slightly heightened, lived-in quality: the campus is less a documentary depiction of college life and more a colourful backdrop for the emotional chaos of growing up.

 

 

 

 

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For Bhatt, meanwhile, the project is another move into producing stories that give new performers and filmmakers a platform.

The Hollywood Reporter has previously highlighted her expanding work as a producer and her interest in supporting newer creative voices.

For Mukerji, Don’t Be Shy marks an opportunity to put a distinctly Hindi spin on a genre audiences around the world already know well.

The result, as Variety’s review suggests, is a film that embraces many of the conventions of the campus rom-com rather than trying to completely reinvent them, while giving its four young leads the chance to become the new faces audiences associate with the genre.

Bhatt’s next big-screen appearance

Meanwhile, the first look at Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming epic romantic drama Love & War, featuring Bhatt alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal, was also unveiled.

 

 

 

 

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Gulf News reported that the official poster revealed Bhatt in a “cabaret-inspired avatar, seated on a chair in a dramatic slit skirt and elaborate headpiece. A rich, retro-styled backdrop complements her glamorous look, offering a glimpse into the distinctive world Bhansali has created for the film”.

The production company also revealed further details on its social media account.

Don’t Be Shy is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, while Love & War is expected to release on January 21, 2027.