Mahesh Bhatt was ‘devastated’ by Alia Bhatt’s performance in Udta Punjab, says she was a ‘mannequin’ in SOTY

In Pic: Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt loves to put out strong opinions about everything. The filmmaker never hesitates in sharing what he feels, even if it is talking about his own daughter Alia Bhatt's performances. Mahesh Bhatt recently talked about his daughter Alia Bhatt's debut film, Student of the Year, and said that she was just a mannequin in the Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra starrer.

In a conversation with India Today, Mahesh Bhatt praised Alia for her performance in Udta Punjab, though he has his own way of praising his daughter. "I must say that I was devastated by Udta Punjab. I didn't understand when did this girl, this Juhu girl exposed to our home, where we live like a normal family… How did this Juhu girl get the accent right of an Adivasi from Chhattisgarh? It was amazing. I was astounded by that," he said while talking about Alia's performance.

Further in the conversation, Bhatt said Alia Bhatt was just a mannequin in her debut film, Student of the Year, and Udta Punjab came as a departure from that girl. "Her raw power, and her ability to get into such a vulnerable space, and bare her heart. Highway and Udta Punjab… It was a departure from that girl who was just a mannequin in Student of the Year. You see the evolution in your child also," he added.

On the work front, Alia Bhatt is headlining the first female-led YRF Spy Universe film, produced by Aditya Chopra. Joining her will be rising industry star and YRF's homegrown talent, Sharvari Wagh. They both play super-agents in YRF's spy universe, and Aditya Chopra is presenting them as the ALPHA girls of the pack!

Earlier, while announcing the entry of Alia in the film, Yash Raj Films' CEO Akshaye Widhani said, "I'll share the worst kept secret in the industry, which is, Alia Bhatt is headlining a Spy Universe film and that the schedule starts later this year. But you know, talking about this spy universe, we are actually just so thrilled and excited about having this IP in the studio."