Alia Bhatt absent from Dining With The Kapoors; Armaan Jain explains why she couldn’t join the family shoot

The trailer of Dining With The Kapoors has already stirred curiosity, not only for its star-studded setting but also for the absence many fans immediately noticed. While the special brings together several generations of the Kapoor family, Alia Bhatt is missing from the dining table, prompting questions across social media.

The show features Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Randhir Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Rima Jain, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Aadar Jain and Navya Naveli Nanda. The gathering is presented as a relaxed family lunch that also marks the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor. With so many familiar faces seated together, Alia’s absence naturally stood out.

In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, producer Armaan Jain addressed the ongoing chatter and explained the reason behind her not being part of the shoot. He said, “She had prior commitments to shoot. I might sound filmy, but like Raj Kapoor said, ‘work is worship.’”

Director Smriti Mundhra also spoke about the situation and pointed to the family’s long relationship with work. She said, “That is the one thing about this family. They are all workaholics and they all love what they do. There is always an understanding that everyone makes an attempt to gather and prioritise as much as possible, but inevitably there’s one or two people who can’t make it because of work and that’s always allowed.”

Armaan added that this isn’t unusual within the family, considering most members work in films. According to him, small scheduling clashes are common. “Every function it happens — literally Christmas get togethers, Diwali get togethers. It happens,” he shared. He also acknowledged that despite missing the shoot, Alia has been supportive and promoted the special on her Instagram stories.

Dining With The Kapoors aims to offer viewers a closer look at the family’s traditions, their conversations around food, and their memories of Raj Kapoor. The show mixes light moments with personal reflections, bringing together different generations at the same table.

The series is set to premiere on November 21 on Netflix, with fans eager to watch the Kapoor family share stories, laughter and memories.