The actress plays a migrant in Punjab in her upcoming drug-drama; speaks Bhojpuri
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 2, 2016)

While Alia Bhatt's character in Abhishek Chaubey's drug-drama, Udta Punjab, has been strictly kept under wraps, Mirror has learnt that the actress plays a Bihari migrant in Punjab, who works as a labourer and harbours dreams of becoming a hockey player.

"Her skin will be a couple of shades darker, with freckles. Her hair has been bleached to give it an orange tinge. In the course of the story, her character is forced into drugs due to desperation and poverty. Alia will be seen speaking Bhojpuri which she has learnt," a source from the sets informed, adding that a majority of Alia's scenes were shot in Tarn Taran and Amritsar in Punjab.

The actress was often mistaken as her own body double by the locals. And while pictures of her co-stars, Shahid Kapoor and Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, have been unveiled, the makers are going out of the way to keep Alia's look under wraps. "Strict instructions forbade everyone from clicking her during the shoot. Her look is being planned as a surprise for the audience," the source added.

When Mirror contacted National Award-winning costume designer, Payal Saluja, who's working on Udta Punjab, she confirmed that the team has experimented with Alia's skin texture but refused to share further details.