In a moment of rare emotional honesty, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt opened up about his daughter Alia Bhatt not as a director or public figure, but as a father quietly awestruck by how far she’s come.
Alia may have been born into a film family, but according to Mahesh, that’s not what shaped her. She’s self-made,” he says proudly, not because she had it tough, but because she never took her privilege for granted. She carved her path with quiet determination, choosing meaningful roles and taking risks when she could’ve easily coasted on her surname.
I Didn’t Expect This from Her
Mahesh admitted that when Alia first entered the industry with Student of the Year, he saw a talented girl but not necessarily someone who’d shake the industry. But with performances in Highway, Raazi, and Udta Punjab, Alia stunned even her father. “She proved me wrong and I’m grateful she did,” he shared.
He watched her transform into not just a powerful performer but a woman with depth, clarity, and conviction. “She became something I never imagined, he added with a smile.
Motherhood Changed Her in the Best Way
Since welcoming her daughter Raha, Alia has shifted gears not by slowing down, but by becoming more grounded. Mahesh says there’s a new kind of calm and wisdom in her. She’s softer but stronger, more rooted, yet still chasing the stars.
She’s matured in a way that motherhood often brings, he said, “with more empathy, more self-awareness and still the same fire.”
Ranbir and Alia: A Contrast That Works
When talking about Alia’s husband, Ranbir Kapoor, Mahesh drew an affectionate comparison. “He’s more laid-back. Alia’s the go-getter,” he said. But instead of painting that difference as a conflict, Mahesh sees it as balance. One brings the calm, the other brings the spark and somehow, they meet in the middle.
They’re different, but that’s what makes it work,” he said thoughtfully.
Still Climbing, Still Evolving
Whether she’s acting, producing, or stepping into global conversations, Alia isn’t standing still. Mahesh believes her strength lies in her curiosity, her refusal to settle, her desire to grow. She doesn’t wait for the world to shape her,” he said. She shapes her own world.”
And for Mahesh Bhatt, who’s seen many stars rise and fall in the industry, watching Alia create her space with grace, grit, and her own voice feels like one of life’s quiet rewards.
