Alia Bhatt is turning 26 this year, and I wanted to spend time getting to know the diva that she has proven to be a little better. The first thing I watched was that much spoken about episode of Koffee With Karan. It was an honest mistake, and it’s human to err. So why was she criticised the way she was? Is it because of her intelligent film genes, or because she had a launchpad like Dharma Productions to start out in the films? Sure, nepotism is highly spoken about and it’s probably all thanks to Kangana Ranaut’s selective dictionary on yet another episode of Koffee With Karan that the word gained popularity the way it did - only to be spoken about in every other discussion. Before this conversation goes haywire, I must clarify that I am not a supporter of the proverbial silver spoon.

Alia is different, has been so. She got her launchpad and she’s grown from strength to strength. Especially her style sense. Where several other actresses struggle to find their most comfortable fashion statement well into their thirties, Alia has clearly paid attention in all her formative years. In an older episode of KWK, I couldn’t help but notice the childlike innocence on her face and the plumpness on her cheeks. In just seven years, she has proven why she is one of most bankable stars and fashion’s favourite in Bollywood. What’s more - her petite frame and cutesy countenance is easily relatable for the average Indian millennial girl who is ambitious too.

Her debut film, Student of the Year, had her playing a rather ditsy but stylish young girl with a kind heart. Her introduction remains one of my favourites till date. Never would have one heard so many brands being spoken about in a musical tell-tale for a school girl named Shanaya.

Her best looks are more than a few in the last few years but I’ve narrowed them down to Top 5. Take a look.

The red flouncy dress in Disco Deewane

In a BTS video of the song from Alia’s debut film, designer Manish Malhotra had said the idea behind Alia’s look was to keep it young and peppy so the choice of a layered baby doll dress was only right. We couldn’t agree more. It’s a lovely red dress for a cocktail or a sundowner, followed by a walk on the beach with your date of the evening. We loved it on Alia ‘cause it blended beautiful and sexy in equal measure.

Take a look at how it twirls:

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Her promotional and press conference looks in the first few years

Alia probably has a Midas touch, so to speak. So far all her films have been interesting ones and the audience has, by and large, loved her work and the fact that she hasn’t shied away from going all out and has proven her mettle through some great work. However, we must also mention that she is a style adapter because of the ease with which she blends into the fashion she’s handed and owns it all the same. Yes, it was a bit uncomfortable to see her dressing up to look much older than she was then - with the tight bun and sometimes gelled hair on pantsuits in solid shades.

The desi girl

She was supposed to play a Tam Brahm in 2 States, based on a book, so it was only obvious that the look would be closer to how it’s been described in the book by the author. With Alia, it seems different. She played the girl-next-door and all that she wore, from the kurtis to the sarees to the dhavanis, the ‘Indianness’ in all of those looks were hard not to notice and talk about.

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That happy-go-lucky girl

Dear Zindagi and Kapoor and Sons didn’t entirely show the character in black-and-white but Alia’s portrayal of them and the fashion she donned, did full justice to the character she was portraying for the screen. Interestingly, in both films, she was shown to be battling mental health issues (an important and necessary discussion) and her look was breezy, easy-going and not a forced attempt at looking glamorous. In Dear Zindagi, her summer dresses, the long shirts with denim shorts, amidst other clothes she wore are easy to add to one’s summer wardrobe - the wardrobe changes with seasons if you live closer to the mountains as opposed to coastal areas.

Raazi and beyond

This is the film for which she changed her wardrobe, look and her face too looks mature and more sculpted than what we’ve known of her over the years. With a young woman’s touch, her Raazi outfits - mostly long kurtas best-suited for the era in which the film is based and a style that’s returning nowadays. Why, according to me, she looks her best in this film? It fit like a glove, to put it in a few words. It wasn’t just the fashion but also her body language with which she won over several hearts. In Gullyboy, she played a feisty yet plain Jane but the promotions of the film saw her in some of her best looks. There were dresses and jumpsuits and a lot more she sported. In the upcoming Kalank, she’ll be seen in an Indianised avatar as Roop in salwar suits, lehengas and more. Her bridal look from the teaser has been turned into memes and is being called similar to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Jodhaa Akbar look. We love the return of the mathapatti - first seen making a comeback on Deepika Padukone at her wedding in November 2018.

Which look of hers have you loved the most?

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First Published: Mar 14, 2019 19:42 IST