Why Love Dictates Life For Bollywood’s Finest Young Superstar

For as long as Alia Bhatt can remember, she’s always been immersed in the world of stories. “My grandfather was constantly telling me stories, he had three characters named Chunnu, Munnu, and Gunnu and they were always going on adventures, treks, and picnics,” the 30-year-old actor told VICE. 

“This love for stories was also the reason I’d often make up stories. I’d call up my grandmother as a child and tell her I [was] sitting with frogs. Naturally, she’d joke and tell my mother that her daughter is not normal,” Bhatt added.

However, the imaginary worlds she inhabited as a girl are far removed from the characters she’s portrayed on screen as one of India’s finest young actors. These include an immigrant labourer from India’s Bihar state who navigates unemployment in a drug-fuelled world run by men in Udta Punjab, a real-life sex worker who once ruled the brothels of Mumbai in Gangubai Kathiawadi, and a devoted wife who goes down the path of revenge after her seemingly loving husband turns abusive in the Netflix original Darlings. 

When she made her debut in the 2012 film Student of The Year, Bhatt captured the national consciousness in a way few actors have. In the roles that she took on next, she seemed to have both the foresight and luck to avoid being slotted into stereotypical roles. 

“When I entered the movies, it wasn’t a day job or some means to an end in any way. It was part of my ingrained need to be a dreamer. It’s not like I spent all my life on a film set. I didn’t even understand how movies were made,” said Bhatt. 

This might seem a surprising thing to say, given that both Bhatt’s parents – Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan – are filmmakers in their own right, though Razdan is better known as an actor. “On the first day of the shoot, I was confused as to why there was just one camera because I assumed there would be 75 cameras shooting you all the time.” 

For any creative, the fear of being irrelevant is writ large. For an actor who’s a woman, especially in India, it’s perhaps even more so.

Bhatt is aware that life has a way of taking strange turns that might not always work out the way one expects. “What if I stop acting tomorrow or just cannot act for some reason? I’d like to believe that I’m someone who thinks 70 steps in advance,” she said. 

This is when the genesis of having her own brand happened, a brand that was more than just “one of those celeb-led brands that have the actor’s name slapped on it,” without any genuine involvement from the celebrity themselves. Bhatt was keen on creating something deeper — a brand that is conscious of a changing world. Launched in India in 2020 and soon to be available in the United Arab Emirates, Bhatt’s Ed-A-Mamma caters to children in the age group of 2-17 years, pregnant women, new mums, and infants. 

Ed-A-Mamma claims to only use natural fibres over polyester or any other synthetic fibre, as natural fibres are sustainable and biodegradable. This includes winter wear. Trims and buttons are nickel and plastic-free. Fabric scraps are repurposed to make potli bags and hairbands, even the clothes tags are designed to be reused as bookmarks. “We added the sustainability angle not just for the heck of it, but because it was part of the brand’s story. I was simultaneously working on a series of stories revolving around a little girl and her dog, Ed, who go on adventures. We have started from fashion, but the idea is to go into various categories involving children.” 

Bhatt has consciously ensured that the projects she signs up with and invests in are aided and supported by women from her own brand as well as others. “It’s important for women to support each other because there’s a narrative that women know only how to fight with each other. We are sensitive and resilient. Today, as an entrepreneur, I look up to women like actors Katrina Kaif of Kay Beauty, Deepika Padukone of 82°E, and even Falguni [Nayar] of Nykaa. Putting yourself out there when there is so much judgement is not easy,” she said. 

Speaking on whether gender plays a role in the ways in which projects are helmed, Bhatt believes that there is indeed a certain nuance that comes into play. She cites the example of the 2018 film Raazi in which she plays an Indian spy in Pakistan, written and directed by Meghna Gulzar. “I could be that spy who’s a little tough and rough, but [Meghna] wanted me to be a gentle, floral-salwar-kameez-wearing spy who is feminine,” she explained. “This idea that just because I’m gentle doesn’t mean I don’t have balls of steel came from her as a woman filmmaker.”

In the 2022 film Darlings, helmed by another woman Jasmeet K. Reen, who made her debut as a filmmaker, Alia plays a homemaker from a low-income household who is married to an alcoholic and abusive husband. For the role, Bhatt says she had to learn how to cook, including how to chop tomatoes and onions. “This comes from a genuine understanding of being in the kitchen. It’s an empowering thing. There are people who look upon cooking as a chore. It’s not a chore. You’re feeding souls, there’s a lot of empowerment and strength in cooking. And this nuance comes through in a lot of scenes.”  

Bhatt is aware that caregiving is deeply entrenched in patriarchy – the same mindset that has facilitated violence against women for eons, from sexual harassment to female infanticide. “I hope by the time she [her daughter] becomes an adult the world is not tilted towards the male gender. I’m not advocating for 60 women or 40 men. I’m just saying 50-50 and that’s what every woman is saying,” said Bhatt, who gave birth to a girl in November last year. “The only way for it to be like that is to step into the line of fire [of patriarchy in the world] along with [other women], right next to you. You can beat patriarchy with kindness and lead by example.”

Bhatt’s sister, Shaheen, who has struggled with clinical depression since the age of 13, is a source of strength for her because of how openly she has spoken and written about her mental health journey. Apart from her sister, Bhatt’s tight-knit group of friends give her the support and space she needs, especially on days she might not feel like stepping out for a wild party. ‘I have a group of nine friends who really let me be. There is so much respect in giving space to let the other person be. As human beings, we are survivors. If we want something, we will ask for it. If we don’t, that’s okay. Support doesn’t mean physically holding [another], because that gets suffocating.”

Bhatt acknowledges that self-love is a long and arduous journey, but also believes that small gestures go a long way. Every morning, she makes it a point to hug herself after a yoga session. During her pregnancy, her sister would send an “I love you” note to her every morning, which meant a great deal to her. 

“Loneliness has become a pandemic in itself. One of the major contributors is social media and the false sense of reality. Cutting all that out and having a conversation with your friends, [your] support system, and being in the moment are crucial [ways] in beating that. Self-love isn’t just putting on a face mask. Self-love is articulating and validating yourself, and giving yourself the respect that you deserve.” 

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