Alia Bhatt has made a quite a journey since her debut in 2012 with Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year . If Highway is seen as the high point of her career, Alia has traversed different paths after that, with 2 States , Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya , and Shandaar . Now comes Kapoor & Sons , a family drama produced by Karan Johar and directed by Shakun Batra where she stars with her co-debutant Sidharth Malhotra. In Bengaluru to promote the film, Alia talks of families in Bollywood films, and her family...
Excerpts:
Why did you chose this film?
What is unique about this film is that it is a story that has not been told this way. You have not witnessed a family with this level of craziness. We usually have a simple approach to families - they are the ones that love us, support us, or they are the ones we cry to. In reality families are also about factors such as stress, anger, and pain. This is a family as a whole rather than just a father-daughter or father-son relationship. This film focuses on the evolution of relationships. What I liked about my character was she is a jovial girl on paper, who enjoys life’s little things. But she has an emotional grain and baggage of her own which she is battling. I loved the tone of the film and the way it is written.
What does your family mean to you?
Obviously my family means a lot to me. But I feel we tend to take them for granted. That is what most people do, unknowingly or unknowingly. We are allowed to do that. They mean the world to me, but I’m not able to always express that. That is a thought I face every now and then.
Where does your sense of style come from? Young girls want to be you.
Comfort and fun, I think. I will never wear something I’m not comfortable in, and if I do, you’ll see it in my face, and it’ll be a complete faux pas.
With the kind of films you are doing, you are able to get back at people who didn't have much to say about your acting at the beginning?
I’m not trying to get back at anybody, but yeah, if anybody had said anything and I’ve proved them wrong, it feels great! There are many people who probably don’t agree with my acting - and it should be that way- they don’t have to agree with me in general. I’m not here to be loved by everybody. I want to be. But I don’t think it’s humanly possible — to be unanimously loved. But I think I’ve voiced it clearly that I’m not here to be a baby doll. I’m here to be an actor who wants to be remembered for her roles and her films rather than her looks.
What does Karan Johar get right about family films, specially the Punjabi family?
Karan has the knack of picking the right projects and the right instincts while picking his actors and directors — the way he launched Sid and me, the way he picked Shakun. Karan believed in this project, but it took long to cast. Not many were keen on it. In fact Shakun was thinking of making another film in the meanwhile. Karan kept saying ‘it will happen’. I admire Karan for his instinct and his belief in his talent, actors and people he nurtures when he believes they have potential.
There are lots of Alia jokes going around. How do you take them? Which is your favourite Alia joke?
I take them very well. I like this one about me going to a store and asking for an Indian flag and then the shopkeeper hands it over to me and then I say ‘aur colours dikhana’ (laughs). That is my favourite. I totally have the ability to laugh at myself. I don’t think one should take oneself seriously ever. As long as you are not hurting my sentiments by revealing personal details or talking badly about my family, I’m absolutely fine.
