Humbled by Sharmila Tagore lauding her as a game-changer, Alia Bhatt says praise drives her to do better
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 15, 2018)

Two days after veteran actor Sharmila Tagore penned a column in a national weekly hailing Alia Bhatt as the game-changer in Bollywood, the youngster says she feels fortunate that her brave choices are being recognised by the best in the industry. Admitting to being humbled and ecstatic in equal measure, Bhatt says, "When you get a nod from the women you've looked up to, it instils faith in your craft. Actors are nervous individuals. So encouragement of this kind makes me smile."

Six years into the industry, Bhatt has emerged as one of the finest talents who has juggled masala movies with middle-of-the-road cinema. Besides applauding her for taking on challenging roles in Highway (2014) and Udta Punjab (2016), Tagore also appreciated her for shouldering a gritty film like Raazi. Ask Bhatt the process behind choosing her projects and she pins it down to her instincts. "Consciously, my heart is reaching out to the roles that I am choosing. Every film that I do is different from the other because I pick them instinctively. I don't want to lose my spontaneity and look rehearsed. My choices can't reek of complacency."