Conversation dangled at a private discussion, talk veered to a veteran actor’s tryst with mental illness. The actor died alone unsung in her house. Alia Bhatt, who was clueless about the actor’s past, was all ears. I could see she was soaking up the information like a sponge. This dark anecdote prefaced the Alia Bhatt story only to emphasise she’s curious about people, about life around her. But to a point. Amongst the finest actors in the country today, she’s unfazed. At close to 24, she doesn’t allow much to get under her skin. She moves on sometimes almost like teflon. Often I’d think she’s detached. It was a wrong impression. She’s connected and that’s why she’s connected to the heart lines of millions in the country. Just when you believe she has no horizons left to conquer, she will wallop you with a sky’s the limit performance. Like she did in Udta Punjab and Dear Zindagi. She interiorises angst, channels some dark energy from ether and makes you believe in the character and her anguish. Alia Bhatt is a first rate actor. But make no mistake, she dances likes a dervish as you will watch Varun Dhawan and her go full throttle in the romantic sortie Badrinath Ki Dulhania.
Despite a does-not-bode-well debut, Alia hit you in the solar plexus with Imtiaz Ali’s Highway. She was bloody good without an iota of melodrama. Then there was the frothy Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania where she ratcheted her ratings. Add to it, Kapoor & Sons, Udta Punjab and Dear Zindagi, seems this girl will never disappoint us. I hope she never loses her magic and continues to work into her 80s. The movies need Alia Bhatt, more importantly we need her.
I’m at her well appointed house and snacking
at an amazing avocado with smoked cheese and lettuce sandwich, which her maid Carol has
served. Cups of special green tea for her (she has an entire shelf of green teas from different parts of the world), regular chai brewed for me. Fresh off a workout, in comfortable track pants, Alia breezes into the room. And quickly changes the temperature. And we sit down to shoot the air…
Awards, acclaimed films, adulation from fans...
at 24 you seem to have
lived a lifetime...
Honestly, my frame of mind now is a bit better. But two weeks back I was feeling uninspired. I was feeling like what am
I going to do further? Even though the films that were being offered to me were good, they were nothing out of the world. But now, I’m feeling inspired once again. I’m hungry again. Right now, my one point focus is to make sure that Badrinath Ki Dulhania opens to a huge number. Because this is one film, which is considered as an ‘opening wali film’. Otherwise, there have been niche films.
Do you fear becoming a niche actress?
Yeah. But I will never allow people to put me in a category. And I have to make efforts to prove that. That’s why Badri... excited me. Whoever believes I’m a serious actor, should also know I’m not. I’m being fully ‘massy’ in Badri. And I love watching massy films. In fact, I’m looking towards doing a comedy.
What is the fun of working with Varun Dhawan?
He listens to me. And I listen to him as well. We’re aware of each other’s area of expertise. Maybe, I understand more about a photoshoot than him. I listen to him when it comes to dance. He will say – put more energy, it’s a wide shot so move your hands more... and things like that. As actors, we both help each other. He’s an endearing and an earnest person. Which is why Varun will really ghusso into a character. That’s why he could become Badri. On the set he’d often say, “You’re looking so beautiful!” I’d say, “Stop it! I’m Alia right now, not Vaidehi (her character).” You have to pull him out of character.
How has your relationship with Varun grown since Student of The Year (SOTY)?
I got to know Varun only when we began SOTY just the way I got to know Sid (Sidharth Malhotra). Varun and I became friends faster than Sid and I. Sid and I took time to break the ice. Because he’s older and much more held together. Varun and I are more like children. Even today when we’re in a room we behave like children. Varun’s the only person I am that way with actually.
How much older are Varun and Sidharth to you?
Varun’s six years older than me. Sid is eight
years older. But again
they don’t feel much older to me. Even Sid is
basically a child, which I discovered much later because he’s a ‘together’ person. But Varun and
I are constantly fighting, constantly competing with one another. You should watch our Koffee With Karan episode. It’s complete madness because that’s how we both are. We’re constantly at each other’s throats. But we also drive each other, we’re passionate about our work. Both of us feel so passionately about our work. I really, really love working with Varun because he makes me feel mediocre at every step.
You spoke about feeling low at some point. Have you been through depression, something your sister Shaheen Bhatt recently also spoke about?
I’ve never felt that kind of depression, so I don’t know how it actually feels. But I’m not going to write it off saying no-no it doesn’t happen like that and that you can pick yourself up. Sometimes you can’t pick yourself up. But yeah I do go through low phases. Especially, after the year came to an end. Everything had gone well, Kapoor & Sons, Udta Punjab, Dear Zindagi. But suddenly I hit a low.
Is it the fear of burnout?
I have that fear. I don’t want to exhaust because of greed. You can’t be having all your fun in one day na? You need to spread it out because it’s a lifetime. I look at my career as a lifetime, not as a short-lived thing. I don’t want to burn out. I want to keep surprising myself and the world. In fact, yesterday I was watching the Genius Of The Year video. When we had made that video, we had nothing to lose, nothing to fear. We just made it and it went through the roof, people loved it so much. I want to be that same person, who acted like that in that moment. I keep reminding myself, ‘Listen by gut you’re that person. So don’t mess
it up’.
What are the insecurities
you battle?
Maybe because I’m going through a good phase right now, I’m not so insecure. But I’m also aware that it will only get better if I put in more effort. I’m not taking it for granted that yeh mera achcha time hai, yeh aise hi rahega. I want to move forward constantly. I’m not insecure but I am cautious and don’t take my work lightly. Like after winning the Black Lady, I need to work double as hard now. For this song for Badri, I trained hard and worked my ass off. That was the need of the hour. My insecurity now is the fear of taking it too easy just because people are saying good things about me.
Do you feel vulnerable?
Of course, everybody feels vulnerable. Also, the minute you allow people to give you love, you are also giving them the right to take that love away. One day that love will go. So what are you going to do next?
You seem to have made peace with the transitory nature of showbiz...
I don’t believe you can ever make peace with it. You can understand it as much as you can. Also I’m not given to over thinking. But sometimes you have to think a little about yourself. You may feel like doing something but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.
Coming to relationships,
do you have enough time for the family?
No. But my family is in tune with my life. They give me a lot of space. Also since I have moved out of the house, I feel the need to hang out with them more.
What are the things you’ve learnt after living alone?
It’s a whole different world altogether. For example, running the house, getting the grocery, fixing the leak, the WiFi... I never thought about these things earlier. And I don’t have a house manager on board. I do everything by myself along with my sister. Shaheen is taking time to move out of that house because her cats are there. We’re trying to bring the cats here but it’s a process. They’re not like dogs. Also now, I make plans like when to have dinner with dad or tea with mom. We make these plans, so that we can hang out together. But all said and done, I like coming home.
Are you a relationship person or a free spirit?
I’m a full relationship person. But you can
be a free-spirit being
in a relationship also.
So I’m both.
What kind of a girlfriend
are you?
I’m a friendly girlfriend. I like to be a friend rather than a girlfriend. I like to be that person’s one point everything. Friend, contact... everything. And of late, I’ve become more understanding. I say like no, there must be a good reason for this, there must be a good reason for that. Everything is not an issue any longer. Earlier, I was cranky about a lot of things. Now I am way more chilled out.
Actors are said to be self-absorbed. Are you too?
I don’t think I was ever self absorbed. But sometimes you feel like anyay (injustice) hua mere saath and all that rubbish. Now, I’m a little more chilled out. I’m more trusting I’d say. And another good thing is that I believe in enjoying my space and giving it too. I’m not like a hawk. Like you must spend time with
me, every single moment with me. We should spend time together because we want to spend time together not because we have to. That’s what
I believe with regards to my family as well.
What are the odd things about you as a girlfriend?
I get a little detached. Sometimes I may not
talk about everything
I may be feeling at that point. I may conveniently give it a miss. Then one day suddenly I will talk about it. So these are little things. I’m a bit flaky when it comes to talking about things. I’m not very articulate.
How do you view the social media phenomenon?
It is the need of the hour. You have to stay upto date. I was having a conversation with Shah Rukh during Dear Zindagi promotions when he said that there would be new kind of celebrities now, a new kind of a star.
What is this new star like?
Someone more accessible – with whom you can relate, with whom you can talk. I don’t want to be over accessible not because it’s my game-plan to maintain a mystery about myself but because I find it boring. Anything in excess is boring. There needs to be a balance. But I do believe in being regular. I may walk like a star when I wear my heels but actually inside
I want to be myself. I don’t want to project something I’m not.
Post A Comment:
0 comments: