Alia Bhatt is at the top of her game right now, with big-ticket films such as Inshallah with Salman Khan, Brahmastra alongside Ranbir Kapoor and RRR with Baahubali director SS Rajamouli in her kitty. Apart from this, she has received rave reviews for her films in the seven years she’s been in Bollywood.

And Alia, who made her debut with Student of the Year in 2012, can’t believe she is already in her seventh year as an actor. “Oh God, it feels like a long time,” she exclaims. Asked if her criteria to choose films have changed over the years, Alia says, “I’ll be lying if I say things haven’t changed a bit. Sometimes you learn from your experiences. That time does play on your mind when you are choosing a film next. There is a minute mental and physical calculation that comes in. I always say eventually, the gut always takes over, and my heart comes in, that says no matter what, I want to do this (film).”

Achieving so much success by the young age of 26, one wonders how it hasn’t gone to her head. Doesn’t it get tough? “It doesn’t, if you are aware that the only permanent thing in life is change. What I need to do is keep my head down, keep working hard. There will be good days, there will be bad ones too. I am living my dream. I don’t believe I’m entitled to anything. I work hard for what I achieve. When I achieve it, I kind of park it in my little pocket, and continue to move on. There’s no need to get excited, or let that go to your head,” explains Alia, who is currently shooting for Brahmastra.

The actor has an illustrious lineage — being the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and actor Soni Razdan. But does Alia discuss work with them? “Now that I am working with my father (for the first time), in Sadak 2... we have involved ourselves professionally as well, but we really stay away from talking and getting work back home. You will be surprised, sometimes my dad and mom find out about the things I am doing at the same time that you (public) find out about it! Because we really have no time to sit, discuss and talk about what I am doing. It’s quite strange,” adds Alia.

While they don’t get time to discuss what’s happening in their lives, technology comes to Alia and her family’s aid. “We talk about everything on our family WhatsApp group, how we are feeling, what we are doing, what’s happening. We won’t talk about what we are doing personally, we have to find that out through the news. Now of course, things are a little different because I am working with my dad, we kind of mix together!” says Alia.

First Published: Jun 18, 2019 10:59 IST