Alia Bhatt (born March 15, 1993) is a British actress of Indian heritage who mainly works in Hindi movies. She is known for acting in films that show women facing difficult situations. She has won many awards, including a National Film Award and seven Filmfare Awards. She is one of India’s highest-paid actresses. In 2022, Time magazine gave her the Time 100 Impact Award, and in 2024, it named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
She was born into the Bhatt family, the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and actress Soni Razdan. She began acting as a child in the 1999 thriller Sangharsh. Her first leading role was in the 2012 teen film Student of the Year, directed by Karan Johar. She won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for her role as a kidnapping victim in the 2014 road drama Highway. She later acted in many romantic films produced by Johar’s studio, Dharma Productions.
Bhatt won Filmfare Awards for Best Actress for her roles in several films. These include a victim of drug abuse in the crime drama Udta Punjab (2016), an undercover spy in the thriller Raazi (2018), a possessive girlfriend in the musical drama Gully Boy (2019), and the title character of a prostitute in the biopic Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). Her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi also earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. She started making films with the black comedy Darlings (2022) and had her biggest commercial success in the fantasy film Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022) and the romantic comedy Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023). Her role in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani earned her a fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She later won a record sixth Filmfare Award for her performance in the action thriller Jigra (2024), which she also co-produced.
In addition to acting, Bhatt supports charities and is an investor and brand endorser. In 2017, she started an ecological initiative called CoExist. In 2019, she founded a production company named Eternal Sunshine Productions. In 2022, she launched a sustainable clothing brand called Ed-a-Mamma. She has sung eight songs for her films, including the single “Samjhawan Unplugged” in 2014. She is married to actor Ranbir Kapoor, and they have a daughter together.
Early life and background
Bhatt was born in the Bhatt family on March 15, 1993, in Bombay, which is now called Mumbai since 1995, in Maharashtra, India. She is the daughter of Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and British actress Soni Razdan. Mahesh has Gujarati heritage, and Soni has Kashmiri-Pandit and German heritage. Bhatt holds British citizenship. She is the granddaughter of producer-director Nanabhai Bhatt. She has an older sister named Shaheen and two half-siblings, Pooja and Rahul Bhatt. Actor Emraan Hashmi and director Mohit Suri are her paternal cousins, and producer Mukesh Bhatt is her uncle. Bhatt attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Juhu, a suburb of Mumbai, but left twelfth grade to become an actress.
Bhatt said her childhood was simple and modest. She did not have the luxuries others might expect because she is Mahesh Bhatt's daughter. As a child, she was not close to Mahesh. Soni said she raised the children mostly alone because Mahesh was not involved. Bhatt said she did not miss him much as a child because he was not around, but they became closer when she started acting.
Bhatt wanted to act from a young age. She discovered her interest while rehearsing for her school choir in kindergarten. Soon after, she began dance lessons at Shiamak Davar's institute. Her first acting role was at age five in her father's film Sangharsh (1999), where she played a younger version of Preity Zinta's character. She later said she did not remember much about the experience. At age nine, she auditioned for a role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Black (2005), but did not get the part. Three years later, Bhansali cast Bhatt to act with Ranbir Kapoor, who was ten years older, in his film Balika Vadhu. However, the film was never released.
Career
In 2012, Alia Bhatt took her first leading role in Student of the Year, a film directed by Karan Johar. She acted alongside new actors Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan. She competed with 500 other girls for the part and was chosen by Johar after agreeing to lose 16 kilograms (35 pounds) in three months. In the movie, she played a mature young girl involved in a love triangle. Anupama Chopra of Hindustan Times noted that her character was similar to Kareena Kapoor’s role in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), but said Bhatt’s performance lacked confidence. Lisa Tsering of The Hollywood Reporter criticized her dancing and limited expressions. The film earned ₹960 million (US$11 million) and was a commercial success.
After mixed reviews for Student of the Year, Bhatt wanted to take on a more challenging role. She got the chance in Highway (2014), directed by Imtiaz Ali. She played a young woman from a wealthy family who, after being kidnapped, develops a psychological condition called Stockholm syndrome toward her captor, played by Randeep Hooda. To prepare, she took lessons to improve her Hindi speaking skills. The film was shot in order, and some scenes were changed based on her reactions during filming. Bhatt said her character’s journey mirrored her own experiences, as it was the first time she faced situations different from her privileged background. Ronnie Scheib of Variety praised her performance as “endearingly cockeyed” and noted her ability to show sadness and intelligence. Although the film did not earn much money, Bhatt won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and received a Best Actress nomination. That same year, she starred in Going Home, a short film directed by Vikas Bahl for Vogue India to promote women’s safety.
Bhatt continued working with Dharma Productions, Karan Johar’s company, and appeared in 2 States and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (both 2014). 2 States was based on a novel by Chetan Bhagat and told the story of two students who struggle to win their parents’ approval of their relationship. For her role as a strong-willed Tamil girl, she learned to speak Tamil with a tutor. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express called her performance “easy and fresh.” In Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, she played a woman who has an affair before her wedding. The film was compared to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), a classic movie by Johar. Rohit Khilnani of India Today said she gave one of her best performances, but Nandini Ramnath of Mint thought she relied too much on dialogue and actions. Both films were commercially successful, each earning over ₹1 billion (US$12 million) worldwide. These successes helped establish her career.
In 2015, Bhatt starred in Shaandaar, a romantic comedy directed by Vikas Bahl. She played an insomniac who falls in love during a destination wedding. Kunal Guha of Mumbai Mirror criticized the film, saying Bhatt’s performance did not make the movie better. The film did not earn much money.
In 2016, Bhatt had a supporting role in Kapoor & Sons, a drama directed by Shakun Batra. She acted alongside Sidharth Malhotra and Fawad Khan, and the film was both a critical and commercial success. Later that year, she played a poor Bihari migrant in Udta Punjab, a crime drama about drug abuse directed by Abhishek Chaubey. This role was different from her previous lighter parts. To prepare, she watched documentaries about drug use and learned to speak a Bihari dialect. The film’s portrayal of drug use caused controversy in India. Raja Sen of Rediff.com praised her for her accent and a powerful speech that improved the film. She then played a troubled young woman in Dear Zindagi (2016), a coming-of-age film directed by Gauri Shinde. Anisha Jhaveri of IndieWire said she gave depth to the character’s struggles. Udta Punjab and Dear Zindagi earned her awards; she won the Screen Award and Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Udta Punjab and received another Best Actress nomination for Dear Zindagi.
In 2017, Bhatt starred in Badrinath Ki Dulhania, a romantic comedy directed by Shashank Khaitan. She reunited with Khaitan and Varun Dhawan. The film follows a strong-willed woman who refuses to accept unfair treatment from her fiancé. Rachel Saltz of The New York Times praised her role as a modern woman who avoids clichés. She received another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress. In 2018, she starred in Raazi, an espionage thriller directed by Meghna Gulzar. She played Sehmat Khan, a Kashmiri spy married to a Pakistani army officer. The film was based on a novel and shot in 48 days. Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost said she showed the maturity of a veteran actor. Bilal Qureshi of Film Quarterly believed her performance captured the film’s themes. Raazi became one of the highest-grossing female-led Hindi films, and Box Office India named Bhatt the most successful contemporary actress in Hindi cinema. She won another Best Actress award at Filmfare.
In early 2019, Bhatt launched her own production company, Eternal Sunshine Productions. Her first film that year was Gully Boy, directed by Zoya Akhtar. She acted alongside Ranveer Singh in a story inspired by the lives of street rappers. She took acting workshops to learn Bambaiya Hindi for improvisation. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. Lee Marshall of Screen International said her performance successfully blended humor, romance, and social commentary. Gully Boy earned over ₹2.37 billion (US$28 million) globally and won 13 Filmfare Awards, including her third Best Actress trophy.
In 2019, Bhatt starred in Kalank, a period drama set in 1940s India. The film was her biggest-budget project at the time and featured Varun Dhawan as her love interest. She studied old films and a Pakistani TV series to learn the body language and language of the era. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express said she was watchable but became too familiar in her performance. The film did not earn much money. In 2020, she starred in Sadak 2, a sequel to her father’s 1991 film. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was released on Disney+ Hotstar instead of in theaters.
Other work
Bhatt sang for the song "Sooha Saaha" in the movie Highway (2014). The film's composer, A. R. Rahman, invited her to his music school for training. In the same year, she sang an acoustic version of "Samjhawan" for the composers Sharib-Toshi in the movie Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. For the soundtrack of Udta Punjab (2016), she sang an alternate version of "Ikk Kudi" with her co-star, Diljit Dosanjh. In 2024, she sang "Chal Kudiye" from the movie Jigra with Dosanjh again.
Bhatt performed at the Filmfare, Screen, and Stardust award ceremonies. She also took part in a stage show in Hong Kong with Dhawan and Malhotra. She joined a charity event with Dhawan, Malhotra, Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor, and Huma Qureshi to help victims of the 2013 North India floods. She performed in several American cities during the "Dream Team 2016" tour with Johar, Dhawan, Malhotra, Roy Kapur, Katrina Kaif, Parineeti Chopra, and singer Badshah.
Bhatt supports many causes and charities. In 2013, she participated in a PETA campaign to raise awareness about homeless animals. In 2021, PETA India honored her as Person of the Year for her work promoting animal-friendly fashion and helping dogs and cats. In 2015, she joined a charity event by Cuddles Foundation to help children with cancer. In 2017, she performed in a fashion show for the same cause and started an initiative called CoExist to improve street animal welfare. That year, CoExist collected old jeans to make dog collars. She also worked with Facebook on a campaign called "Find Your Green" to promote environmental care.
In 2018, Bhatt joined Aamir Khan's Paani Foundation. She visited Latur, a village in Maharashtra, and helped Khan with projects to manage water resources. She also started an initiative called MiSu, where she sold clothes from her wardrobe to provide electricity to a village in Karnataka. In 2021, she partnered with ActionAid India to help communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, she became the first Indian actress to join the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group's "I'm a Fan" campaign, raising funds for the Salaam Bombay Foundation, which supports underprivileged youth. Through MiSu, she sold saris from her film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023) to support women's healthcare. In 2023, she hosted a charity event in London for the Salaam Bombay Foundation.
In 2014, Bhatt designed her own clothing line for women on the online store Jabong.com. In 2018, she launched a line of handbags for VIP Industries. She is also an investor in the beauty company Nykaa and in Phool.co, India's first biomaterial startup. In 2022, she created a sustainable maternity and children's clothing brand called Ed-a-Mamma. For promoting kindness to animals and nature, Ed-a-Mamma won PETA India's Vegan Fashion Award for Best Vegan Kidswear Brand in 2021. As of July 2023, the brand was valued at approximately ₹1.5 billion (US$18 million). In September 2023, Reliance Retail bought a majority share of the company. In 2024, Bhatt wrote a children's picture book titled Ed Finds a Home, the first book in the The Adventures of Ed-a-Mamma series, about a girl with special powers. In 2026, Ed-a-Mamma expanded to offer baby personal care products under its "Your Baby Safe" range.
Personal life
Alia Bhatt has often faced criticism, including online teasing, for being seen as benefiting from favoritism in the Hindi film industry. When asked how she handles this, she said, "Of course, I felt bad. But feeling bad is a small price to pay for the work that you are respected and loved for." This criticism has also affected Karan Johar, who frequently praises Bhatt and casts her in many of his films. Some people believe this favoritism limits opportunities for other actresses. Johar explained that he feels like a parent toward Bhatt and defends his support for her.
In 2014, during an appearance on Johar’s talk show Koffee with Karan, Bhatt mistakenly named Prithviraj Chauhan as the President of India. This error led to online teasing about her intelligence. Bhatt responded by participating in a satirical YouTube video for All India Bakchod, titled Alia Bhatt – Genius of the Year. Journalist Malavika Sangghvi noted that by joking about herself, Bhatt addressed her critics and gained their approval.
Early in her career, Bhatt avoided discussing her personal life, stating she would not talk about her relationships publicly. Though media speculated about her relationship with actor Sidharth Malhotra, she did not comment on it until after they separated in 2019. In 2018, Ranbir Kapoor, her co-star in Brahmāstra, revealed they were dating. They married on April 14, 2022, in a traditional Hindu ceremony at their Mumbai home. On November 6, 2022, they welcomed their daughter, Raha.
As of 2022, Bhatt lives mainly in Mumbai and also owns a home in London. In 2023, she criticized two paparazzi for taking photos of her in her living room from a nearby building. In a 2023 book titled Being Bollywood: Postfeminism, Celebrity Culture and Femininity in the Global South, author Viraj Suparsad wrote that Bhatt is part of a new generation of Indian actresses who balance their careers with marriage and motherhood. He also noted that Bhatt sometimes portrayed herself as following traditional social expectations about women’s roles to connect with a mostly male-dominated audience. In 2024, Bhatt announced she was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Media image and artistry
Sucharita Tyagi, a writer, describes Bhatt as "funny, endearing, silly, and unapologetic." In 2022, journalist Raja Sen noted that Bhatt is "petite compared to her peers" and uses her "girlishness and small size" to surprise others who may think she cannot take on big roles or stand out on screen. Suhani Singh of India Today wrote that Bhatt can appear "larger than life" on screen despite her small frame.
Laura Zornosa of Time magazine says Bhatt often plays "fiercely determined lead roles." Liz Kang of CNN points out that Bhatt’s characters are "dynamic, unconventional women in difficult situations." Ishita Sengupta of Frontline wrote that Bhatt’s characters have "opinions, ambition, independence, and intent," and that they are allowed to be "unlikeable." Ranjita Ganesan of Rediff.com noted that Bhatt is known for "emotional performances that show deep sadness."
Bhatt relies on instinct and spontaneity during her acting. Directors Meghna Gulzar and Shakun Batra say she prepares thoroughly for roles, but Gulzar explained that she "acts from her gut" after understanding her character. Bhatt says she does not analyze her acting process too much, believing it might make her "a machine instead of a human." She chooses different projects to keep her work exciting and avoid boredom.
Ganesan observed that Bhatt became a successful actress quickly compared to her peers. By 2022, trade journalist Joginder Tuteja reported that Bhatt had 13 successful films out of 15 released. Box Office India ranked her as the most successful Hindi film actress in 2018 and 2023. In 2023, journalist Rajeev Masand named her one of Hindi cinema’s best actresses of all time.
Forbes Asia included Bhatt in their 2017 "30 Under 30" list and their 2020 "100 Digital Stars" list. She has been on Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list since 2014, reaching the eighth position in 2019. That year, Forbes estimated her yearly income to be about ₹592 million (US$7 million), making her the highest-paid actress in India. In 2018 and 2019, GQ India listed her as one of the nation’s 50 most influential young people, noting her ability to balance big films with more thoughtful stories. In 2018, YouGov named her India’s ninth most influential celebrity. Femina magazine included her in lists of women achievers in 2019 and 2021. From 2022 to 2025, The Indian Express listed her among the most powerful Indians, and India Today included her in a similar list in 2023. In 2022, Time magazine awarded her the TIME 100 Impact Award. That same year, she was listed in Outlook India’s "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" and by Variety in their "Impactful International Women of 2023." In 2023, the Financial Times named her among the 25 most influential women, and Business Today included her in their list of powerful women in business. She was also listed in Hello! magazine’s 100 most influential people. In 2024, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and Gold House included her in their "100 Most Impactful Asians" list. In 2026, National Geographic named her one of 33 Visionary Changemakers.
In 2020, Bhatt joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2023, she became the first Indian global ambassador for Gucci, attending fashion shows in Seoul and Milan. In 2024, she was named a global ambassador for L’Oréal and walked in Paris Fashion Week. In 2025, she became the global ambassador for Levi’s. Bhatt also works with brands like Coca-Cola, Garnier, and Maybelline. In 2018, her brand value was estimated at US$36.5 million, the eighth-highest among Indian celebrities. By 2021 and 2022, her brand value reached US$102.9 million, making her the fourth most valuable Indian celebrity. In 2023, her brand value was US$101.1 million, and in 2024, it rose to US$116.4 million. As of October 2023, she is the third most-followed Indian actress on Instagram.
Accolades
Alia Bhatt won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). She received the Filmfare Award for Best Actress six times, which is a record, for her performances in Udta Punjab (2016), Raazi (2018), Gully Boy (2019), Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), and Jigra (2024). She also won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for Highway (2014). Additionally, she received the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress in a Web Original Film for Darlings (2022).