10 interesting facts about Alia Bhatt you probably never knew

Whether it’s her upcoming biopic Gangubai Kathiawadi, the rom-com Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani with Ranveer Singh, or her Telugu period drama RRR, Alia Bhatt has quite the interesting mix of big ticket releases in the coming year. The 28-year-old has proven her acting prowess time and again through her varied roles, right from Shanaya Singhania in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year (2012) to her portrayal of an illegal immigrant in Udta Punjab (2016) and her transformation into a student-turned-spy for Raazi (2018). Off-screen, Bhatt is equally interesting as an individual, and over the years, has shared quite a few fun facts about herself—both through her social media account and interviews with Vogue—that every fan ought to know. Below, we round up 10 interesting secrets about the Bollywood star.

1. Growing up, Alia Bhatt had her fair share of funny nicknames

The actor once revealed in an interview with Filmfare that her friends and family used to call her ‘aloo’, the Hindi word for ‘potato’. Her father Mahesh Bhatt even improvised the sweet moniker at times with various iterations like ‘aloo kalu,’ ‘aloo baalu’ and—wait for it—‘batata vada.’

2. You'll never guess the age at which she made her acting debut

While many believe that Bhatt made her on-screen debut with Student of the Year, she actually entered the world of films at the mere age of six, playing a young Preity Zinta in the 1999 film Sangharsh. Co-starring Akshay Kumar, the psychological thriller was produced by her uncle, Mukesh Bhatt.

3. Her big break didn’t come as easy as one would imagine

Alia Bhatt's breakthrough role as Shananya Singhania in Student of the Year required her to compete alongside 400 other candidates. She ended up securing the role when she was just 18 years old, and has gone on to deliver one hit after another ever since.

4. Though not a method actor, she underwent intense training for some of her most memorable roles

She may look effortless carrying out her diverse roles on-screen, but as Bhatt once revealed to Vogue India in an interview, she’s undergone intense periods of practice for several of her films. For Udta Punjab, she got rid of her phone to step into the shoes of a Bihari hockey player-turned-farm labourer struggling with a drug addiction. For her role as a spy in Raazi, she learnt Morse code and weapon training.

5. The actor has developed a special coping mechanism to deal with pre-release jitters

In another chat with Vogue India, Bhatt revealed that she allows herself five days of anxiety right before the release of a film—leaning into the fear and anticipation of success or failure before making herself move on. “Sometimes, I joke, ‘Why can’t we shoot films and not release them?’ That would be so much fun. Just send them to another planet,” she once said.

6. If Alia could go back to school, this would be her unexpected choice of career

“I think I would Master in organisation. I’m so obsessed about organising. I love making plans,” the 28-year-old once told Vogue India.

7. And this would be her last meal

If Alia Bhatt could pick her last meal on earth, she'd make it count. “I’ll eat something super, super unhealthy—a burger and a pizza and a big chocolate dessert with some extra chocolate,” she once shared in an interview.

8. Who would’ve guessed that Bhatt loves to wear men’s perfumes?

During an interview in 2019, Bhatt revealed that she finds most perfumes for women too fruity. She also shared that she particularly admires Arjun Kapoor’s taste in fragrances—he was the one who introduced her to Tom Ford’s scents.

9. You knew that Alia is close to her sister. But did you know that she has also stolen Shaheen Bhatt’s entire coin collection?

Bhatt's fans and followers are well aware of the special bond she shares with sister Shaheen Bhatt. The duo share an apartment in Mumbai and Alia even once revealed via her Instagram stories that Shaheen is her favourite person. One thing she's stolen from her sister during their years of living together? “Her coin collection. One day I landed up with way too many coins—vintage ones from all over the world. I hadn’t travelled so much then, so obviously they’re hers,” the star once shared with Vogue India.

10. Did you know that the actor is a professionally trained Kathak dancer?

For her 2019 period drama Kalank, co-starring Madhuri Dixit Nene, Varun Dhawan, and Aditya Roy Kapur, Bhatt took formal lessons in Kathak for a full year. During an interview in 2019, she also spoke candidly about the challenges of the traditional dance form, confessing that the twirls were the hardest part.

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