EXCLUSIVE: I'm my father's daughter at the end of the day' - Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt is always brimming with energy and raring to go. She comes across as an enthusiastic and energetic person, not just physically but it appears that she is constantly thinking. She thinks fast and is seen making decisions at the snap of a finger. Instinctive, experimental and gutsy, she can easily transform from a glam doll to a deglamourised role, and as they say, Alia has got everything that it takes to be a superstar. During her forthcoming film, 'Shaandaar's' promotions, when Alia asks for some sugar in her coffee, you know that her energy is sapping and she needs some fuel to recharge.
You seem to be stressed with your release Shaandaar' coming up for release...
Anybody would get stressed out. But I am an over hyper person, I have always been like that. I am on a different kind of energy level internally. I am constantly thinking, I am my father's (filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt) daughter at the end of the day. I am always active, I always want to excel in anything I do and especially the things I love. When in school, I didn't care about how many marks I got but I cared about my annual day, I cared about my sports, my creative side. Now, also with each release the expectations from an actor is increasing and that gives me more pressure.
Your co-star Shahid was seen calling you a kid during the film's promotions, did you ever tell Shahid that you grew up watching his films?
Of course, I told him that but I didn't tell him in as many words because then he will accuse me of calling him old.
But then he calls you a kid...
That he will but I am not allowed to call him old. He is not old also. I have always admired Shahid's work since his debut film Ishq Vishq'. Shahid had come to the theatre to see the audience reaction. The first time I met him was at Farah Khan's house warming party and I was like a newbie. I didn't know anybody then. I bumped into Shahid and he was very sweet, he was very.warm and polite.
The insomnia theme is the backdrop of the film, so are you insomniac in real life?
Actually I am a sleepy person...I am a cat in real life, I can sleep for 14 hours if I am allowed to but I am not usually allowed to as I have to do so many things in life. So I end up sleeping for seven to eight hours. There is no choice, my day starts early and I am an early riser as well.
Tell us more about the film's theme...
For the first time you will see two insomniacs fall in love. What is interesting is that night becomes our day, moon becomes sun. Night is quiet, silent and it becomes our very own playground. It is fun. These characters meet in the night and what do they do we don't know.
What are the memorable moments from the film?
When we had to do a scene in minus five degree waterfall in Leeds in October...both, Shahid and I were supposed to be skinny-dipping. It was not that I was wearing a wet suit upto my neck, I wore a costume and it had to appear that I was skinny-dipping and Shahid was wearing ganji and pants. We were freezing. During the bikini shot, I turned all blue. But I was comfortable wearing a bikini, just that cold was making me uncomfortable.
Heard that your character's name is Alia, too...
My character, Alia always has a bubble in her head, she is either imagining or she is dreaming. She is quirky because she is an insomniac, she stays up all night and does a lot of reading. She knows a lot of trivia which many won't know. But it will be very random, it can be about a plastic cup also and you won't even ask but she will tell you. Her passion is very weird. She wears boots on a sari. She is sweet, happy and simple but lives in her own little world. I relate to the character in a way. Alia in 'Shaandaar' is a zoner and Alia in reality is a full zoner.
Do you at times feel that you have a very limited choice when it comes to your co-stars, your heroes?
That depends upon character to character, it is not that you go from one co-star to another co-star. It is about which actor fits which part. Now we have many new actors coming in like, Sooraj Pancholi and Tiger Shroff, both are very talented. Then I am also working with Shah Rukh Khan, I have worked with Randeep. Then there is Varun, Ranveer, Ranbir, Sidharth. I want to work with Salman, Aamir and of course, Hrithik. .
You will soon start your film with Shah Rukh Khan, what's your first memory with him?
Many years ago, my dad took me to his house along with couple of relatives from Pakistan, who wanted to meet Shah Rukh. He was very warm and charming. He gave us lots of sandwiches and Coca Cola to drink. I must have eaten some 15 sandwiches just sitting and staring at him. He made us feel so special. He is such a charismatic personality.
Does the 100, 200 crore club bother you? Do you think it is important for your success?
It matters to me that my film reaches 100 crore hearts and if that happens for me that is the bigger success.
Any director that you are keen on working with?
I really want to work with Zoya Akhtar and Raju Hirani. I also want to work with directors I have already worked with like Abhishek Varman, I really liked working with him in '2 States'. I wanted to work with Ayan (Mukerji) and I am working with him next year. I wanted to work with Gauri Shinde and that is also happening.
How do you go about, do you have any strategy as to how many films you want to do in a year?
I am not trying to plan too hard. I also don't want to do too many films because I don't want to burn out. What really works for me is doing what I really want to do. Sometimes you don't have the time and sometimes you do films just for the heck of it, I don't want to do that. I am okay with one film releasing this year but next year I may have three which is a kind of imbalance but I can't do much about that as it's upto the producers.
So how has life changed for you since you became an actress?
I did not go to any drama school, or have been on sets. For me it was completely fresh experience. Whatever I have learnt is through my experiences and of course from the people who I have worked with and who have helped me through this phase whether it is Karan, who is also a father figure, or my co-stars or my make-up artist like Mickey Contractor or for that matter Manish Malhotra. I hope I have remained the same person but I have definitely grown up, I have evolved. What is interesting is that I am developing a relationship with myself. Every day I spend a lot of time with other people either for interviews or talking to people but I realised that some time being alone is very important for yourself to unwind. Earlier, I would not do that as I would always want somebody around and needed to be distracted but now I am having some Me' time and those are the signs of me growing up. I am trying to understand myself.
Who are your friends in the industry?
Oh, there are quite a few. Ayan Mukerji and Abhishek Varman, Vikas Bahl, Shahid. Then I have a special connection with Sidharth and Varun. Imtiaz is also a good friend. Among women, these days I am really bonding with Katrina, we have got friendly and we are fond of each other. We go to the same gym and it is because of Ayan that I am spending lot of time with her, so she's become part of my friend list. Actually I am friendly with lot of people, this generation is I guess more vocal and accessible to each other. For instance, Shraddha messaged me when she saw the Gulabo' song. Then, when I saw a slim and trim Pari (Parineeti Chopra) on a magazine cover, I messaged complimenting her. We are all supportive of each other and we are also not trying too hard to do that. We are doing our thing and at the same time having a good time.
There has been lot of talk about your relationship with Sidharth, are you guys dating each other...two good looking eligible bachelors, what is the harm in saying that you are dating?
But I am not. Sid is working very seriously on Baar Baar Dekho' and I am seriously working on Shaandaar'. That's it.
So which are the films you are looking forward to?
Abhishek Chaubey's, Udta Punjab' (with Shahid and Kareena); Shakun Batra's, Kapoor & Sons (with Sidharth and Fawad); Ayan Mukerji's film with Ranbir Kapoor and Gauri Shinde's film with Shah Rukh Khan. I am excited about all these projects.
Bigg Boss 19
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