At the Forbes 3050 event, Alia Bhatt lauded her “friends” Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone as “huge sources of inspiration,” expressing her deep admiration for them. She emphasized the importance of prioritising storytelling over the ethnicity of characters in films, advocating for narratives to take precedence.
During an episode of Koffee with Karan Season 8 last year, Karan Johar posed a question to Kareena Kapoor about whether she considered Deepika Padukone her competition. Kareena redirected the question towards Alia. When Karan asked Alia the same question, she responded, “Please… not at all. Why would she be? She’s (Deepika) my senior. There’s no competition.”
Alia expressed her gratitude, stating, “Actresses from the Indian film industry have truly been immense sources of inspiration for me. Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone, they’re not only fellow actors but also dear friends whom I deeply admire. They deserve a lot of credit for paving the way and normalising certain aspects within the industry.”
She further emphasised, “I also believe that we are currently in an era where inclusivity and diversity are imperative. It’s essential to see individuals from various backgrounds, speaking diverse accents, yet all united in telling the same universal story. Ultimately, the story itself should take precedence over factors such as origin, accent, or ethnicity.”
Alia Bhatt is set to star in an upcoming YRF spy universe film, with shooting scheduled to commence later this year, as revealed by Yash Raj Films CEO Akshaye Widhani. In this yet-to-be-titled project, she will be paired with Sharvari Wagh, portraying super-agents in the action-packed entertainer. Additionally, Alia will be seen in director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal. Furthermore, she has director Vasan Bala’s Jigra in the pipeline.