Alia Bhatt’s Alpha is set to hit the screens in less than a fortnight. The conversations at home then, we assumed, would be all about the movie.

Laughing at the thought, Soni Razdan, actor and Bhatt’s mother, revealed, “We talk about films less than people think we do. We talk about smaller domestic things, like babysitting Raha [Bhatt’s daughter] and what she’ll have for lunch. We talk a lot about food.”

Films surely can’t be far behind. In her 14-year career, Bhatt has become among the leading stars of Hindi cinema, building a filmography on stories that revolve around her characters — an exception for female stars. Razdan takes it all in with gratitude.

“She has been smartly intuitive in her choices. She probably gets offered many more [projects], but she chooses the ones her gut tells her to do. It’s remarkable because many people will go for banners and co-stars, but Alia is different and it’s paid off. You have to thank the universe for the good things that come your way.”

But with success also comes the trolling. For instance, last month, the actor was subjected to incessant negativity during her Cannes red carpet appearance, where online users alleged she wasn’t being clicked by photographers. Having been an actor for over three decades, Razdan understands that stardom comes at a price.

“You don’t need to react to everything. You can be objective. It’s a survival skill that you learn. If you can’t develop it, don’t be in this business. We get a lot of love. We don’t want to look at the other side at all.”