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.”

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s turbulent personal life made headlines in the 1970s and ’80s, including his extramarital affair with late actor Parveen Babi and later, his second marriage to actor Soni Razdan. Now, his eldest daughter from his first marriage to Kiran Bhatt, actor-producer Pooja Bhatt, has opened up on how Soni felt guilty about her relationship with Mahesh.

Recalling an old conversation with Soni in Coonoor, Pooja said on Vickey Lalwani’s podcast, “Soni had a heart-to-heart conversation with me… She said, ‘Pooja, I too feel so guilty, felt very guilty’. I told her with all of my heart, ‘Soni, you could not have broken up a relationship that was together. There is no space for anybody in a relationship that is solid unless there are crevices there or something was lacking, so somebody else could come and find that space’.”

Pooja revealed that she knew about Mahesh and Soni before her mother did. “He woke me up and said, ‘I have to let you know that I have met this lady and I am going to be moving out. It doesn’t mean that I love you any less, and I will always be there.’ I said agar woh mujhe nahin kahega to kisko kahega?” she said.

While Pooja said she did see her mother’s pain, she added that her parents “always maintained decorum and grace with each other”.

Mahesh and Kiran are parents to two children, Pooja and fitness trainer-actor Rahul Bhatt. Mahesh met Soni during the making of Saaransh (1984). They got married on April 20, 1986, and have two daughters, actor Alia Bhatt and author Shaheen Bhatt.

Soni Razdan never imagined that the current chapter of her life would turn out the way it has. The actor, who is grandmother to Raha (daughter of actors Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor), says, “I thought this would be the time I’d be mellow and do nothing. But it’s turned out to be the busiest time of my life. It’s not just acting; life has completely taken over in many ways.”

Now, balancing her professional commitments with her personal responsibilities, the 68-year-old shares that her hands are “completely full” and “you’re hands-on busy,” she laughs, referring to her grandchild Raha. “There’s no such thing as sitting idle anymore,” she adds. Last seen in Songs of Paradise, Soni has largely stayed away from OTT projects, despite receiving many offers.

“I don’t want to do OTT because the kind of stories and content that are being made don’t align with what I’m comfortable with. I’m not someone who enjoys doing content that’s too edgy or explicit; that’s just not my space,” shares Soni.

This decision is rooted in artistic comfort rather than judgement. “It’s not about being resistant to change,” she says, adding, “It’s about knowing where you belong as an artist. I like keeping certain boundaries, and unless something meaningful comes my way, I’m happy staying away from that space.”

The actor in Alia Bhatt is spending her days shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War, while the producer in her is simultaneously building her banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions’ slate. So, what’s next after Jigra (2024), her last production? Sources tell us that Bhatt is making a young adult web series with Amazon Prime Video, marking her second collaboration with the streamer after Poacher (2024).

From what we’ve heard, the series’ final draft is being worked upon. A source reveals, “It’s a high-concept, young adult series set in an urban Indian college campus—think slice-of-life meets coming-of-age. The narrative plays out from the point of view of two young couples.”

Casting is underway, with an emphasis on new faces. Bhatt has apparently made it clear that she wants to back fresh talent through the project. “Alia wants the show to feel authentic. She is certain that the chosen faces should be real-life 20-somethings, whom the audience can relate to. Four fresh faces will be launched with the series,” says a casting insider.

If things go as planned, the YA series will go on floors later this year. The team at the production house is also working on the screen adaptation of Manju Kapur’s novel, Difficult Daughters, which will be helmed by Bhatt’s mother and actor Soni Razdan. Her sister, Shaheen Bhatt, is also developing another series for the banner.

Those looking forward to watching Fawad Khan’s The Legend Of Maula Jatt (2022) were disappointed when the film’s India release was stalled again this October. But it looks like we’ll see the actor on the big screen in 2025. mid-day has learnt that Khan and Vaani Kapoor’s romantic comedy, Abir Gulaal, has been wrapped up and director Aarti S Bagdi is now readying it for a theatrical release. The film will mark the Pakistani actor’s return to Hindi cinema almost nine years after his last Bollywood offering, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016).

Sources tell us that beginning late September, the rom-com was shot in a straight schedule in London. The story revolves around two emotionally wounded people who inadvertently help each other heal.

A source from the unit reveals, “Abir Gulaal borrows its name from its lead characters. Fawad plays Abir, a London-based Indian chef, and Vaani, Gulaal, a traditional woman from Jaipur. The shoot began from September 29, with Aarti having planned a 40-day start-to-finish schedule. Filming was wrapped up in 37 days, as Vaani, Fawad and the supporting cast—including Lisa Haydon, Farida Jalal, Parmeet Sethi and Soni Razdan—were well-prepped. Initially the plan was to shoot a few scenes in Mumbai, but eventually, the entire shoot was conducted in London as the story is set against the British capital. Every technician, including designer Sheetal Sharma, was hand-picked from India. Now, the post-production is underway. A part of Fawad’s dubbing is left; that will be done online.”

Producer Vivek B Agrawal, who has been part of Udta Punjab (2016) and Vikram Vedha (2022), is aiming for a theatrical release between early and mid-2025. It may be noted that collaborations with Pakistani artistes had come to a grinding halt in Bollywood after the Uri attack in 2016. However, in October 2023, the Bombay High Court rejected a petition to ban cross-border collaborations, observing that doing so would be a step backward in promoting peace, unity, and cultural harmony. The makers are optimistic that Abir Gulaal, which is an Indian production, will have a smooth journey to the cinemas.

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt’s production house Eternal Sunshine Production has purchased a premium residential apartment in the plush locality of Pali Hill in Mumbai’s Bandra area for over Rs. 37.80 crores.

The transaction values the apartment spread over nearly 2,500 sq ft carpet area at over Rs. 1.51 lakh per sq ft making it one of the most expensive property deals.

The apartment on the sixth floor of residential tower Aerial View on Nargis Dutt Road has two dedicated car parking slots. The transaction was concluded on April 6 and was registered on April 10.

Alia has paid the entire 6% stamp duty of Rs. 2.26 crores for the registration of the transaction, showed the documents accessed through Indextap.com.

In 2021, the government of Maharashtra had announced a 1% concession in prevailing stamp duty for women homebuyers. As part of this scheme, a female home buyer needs to pay 5% stamp duty charges for the registration of the deal in Mumbai.

This lower tax benefit is provided to women homebuyers with a condition to ensure avoid any misuse. As per this condition, if the female homebuyer decides to sell the property within 15 years of the registration, she can sell the property only to a woman.

In March 2021, Alia announced her foray into production with the launch of her own company Eternal Sunshine Production. Apart from Alia herself, the production house counts her mother Soni Mahesh Bhatt as one of the directors.

ET’s email query to Eternal Sunshine Production remained unanswered until the time of going to press. In 2020 too, the actor had bought a house in Bandra area for around Rs. 32 crores.

For me, she is the sunrise,” declared an ecstatic Mahesh Bhatt when we called to congratulate the filmmaker. Sunday brought him among the biggest joys of his life. Bhatt’s actor-daughter Alia Bhatt and husband Ranbir Kapoor welcomed a baby girl at 12.05 pm, hours after the expectant mother was admitted to the HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in south Mumbai.

“Alia and the baby are doing well. Neetu Kapoor and Soni Razdan were by the new parents’ side at the time of the delivery,” a source said.

Bhatt, who rushed to meet his granddaughter later in the day, couldn’t contain his happiness. “This is such a luminous, glorious moment in my life. This child has only deepened my awe about the unfathomable mystery of life. The birth of a child is like a volcanic eruption; it changes everything.” 

Naturally, the moment also made him realise how far his youngest daughter has come in life. “In the blink of an eye, a girl whom I carried in my arms, is now a mama. Life is like an unending magic show, a continuous celebration.”

When Alia had announced her pregnancy, her filmmaker-father had said that he was gearing up for the most important role of his life. So, what kind of a grandfather will he make? “I will be the coolest grandfather in town,” he laughs.

Hours after the delivery, Alia took to Instagram to share the joyous news with fans. She posted a digital sketch of a lion, lioness and a cub in an embrace, with the caption reading, “Our baby is here, and what a magical girl she is. We are officially bursting with love.” The actor couple tied the knot in April after dating for five years. Their first offering together, Brahmastra: Part One — Shiva released in September.

--------------------------------

She is born — that’s how actor Soni Razdan informed filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt of the arrival of their daughter Alia Bhatt’s first child. And what followed was an ocean of emotions for the new nana. “Just yesterday, Alia was a little baby I carried in my arms. Now, she is a mumma to a baby girl,” he tells us, adding, “When my wife called me from the hospital, I can’t put in words the manner in which she communicated those words... Chhoti ke aane se ghar bada ho gaya.”

Alia and Ranbir, the filmmaker says, are “quite overwhelmed by this life- altering moment”. “The birth of a child alters everything around you. It’s going to change them deeply. And they’re welcome to that change,” says the 74-year-old, adding that his and Soni’s role as grandparents will also play a big part in the little one’s upbringing.

Bollywood’s power couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are now parents to a baby girl. The couple drove to a hospital in Girgaon, Mumbai, around 7:30 am yesterday. Ranbir’s mother Neetu Kapoor, and Alia’s mother Soni Razdan and her sister Shaheen Bhatt were also present at the hospital.

On Sunday morning, Alia shared the news of their daughter’s arrival, writing on her Instagram Stories, “And in the best news of our lives, our baby is here. . . and what a magical girl she is. We are officially bursting with love – and blessed and obsessed parents!!!!! (sic)”

Apparently, Ranbir and Alia began dating when they started shooting for Brahmastra in 2018 and tied the knot on April 14 this year in an intimate wedding ceremony at their Bandra home, with just their family and close friends in attendance. On June 27, Alia surprised everyone when she shared a picture from an ultrasound session on social media and wrote, “Our baby …. . coming soon (sic). ”

-----------------------------------

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are now parents! The actor- couple welcomed their first child, a girl, on Sunday, at Mumbai’s HN Reliance Hospital.

“And in the best news of our lives: Our baby is here... and what a magical girl she is. We are officially bursting with love -- blessed and obsessed parents (sic),” read Alia’s Insta post.

The couple’s families are also ecstatic at the new addition to the family. Ranbir’s sister Riddhima Kapoor Sahni tells us from France, “I can’t wait to see the newborn! We are all very excited. My mum (Neetu Kapoor) will FaceTime me the minute she sees her.”

The couple got married in April this year. In June, Alia had announced that she and Ranbir are set to embrace parenthood, with a picture of her undergoing sonography.

Last month, the Kapoor family organised an intimate baby shower for Alia at her residence, which saw her mum Soni Razdan, sister Shaheen Bhatt and others in attendance.

htc [with inputs from rishabh suri]

Alia announced in June that she’s expecting her first child. After wrapping up the shoot of her Hollywood debut, Heart of Stone, she dived into Brahmastra promotions. She has also set maternity fashion goals on the go, especially with her ‘Baby on Board’ gharara.

In 2014, Alia revealed that she first met Ranbir on sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black, when she was just 11.

In January 2018, they crossed paths on the sets of Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, which marked their first project together. The duo instantly hit it off.

In May 2018, they made their first appearance as a couple at Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Anand Ahuja’s reception in Mumbai.

In March 2019, the actor made Ranbir blush when she said “I love you” to him at an award function. Later in the year, she posted an adorable message on Ranbir’s birthday, calling him her “sunshine”.

In 2020, Ranbir said during an interview that had the pandemic not hit, he would’ve been married to Alia already.

In November 2021, the couple’s Diwali snap broke the internet.

In April this year, after much speculation, Alia and Ranbir got married in their house in the presence of their families and close friends.

Actor Alia Bhatt, who is pregnant with her first child with actor Ranbir Kapoor, is all set to have a baby shower towards the end of the month. Her mother, actor Soni Razdan and her mother-in-law, actor Neetu Kapoor, apparently are planning to host an ‘all-girls’ shower for Bhatt. 

According to reports, the intimate do, will see Bhatt’s near and dear ones, including sister Shaheen Bhatt, best friends Akansha and Anushka Ranjan Kapoor, Navya Nanda, sisters-in-law actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor, among others.

The couple got married on April 14 and announced their pregnancy in June.

After their 2019 offering, No Fathers In Kashmir, Soni Razdan joins hand with Anshuman Jha for Harish Vyas’s Hari-Om.

The comedy drama, which deals with family dynamics in central India, sees Razdan as Jha’s mother, and has her paired opposite Raghubir Yadav. “I am looking forward to working with Harish Vyas, who makes wonderfully pertinent and sensitive slice-of-life films. I have also forged a close bond with Anshuman, who, I am so happy to see, is growing from strength to strength. The icing on the cake is the chance to star opposite Raghubir Yadav. I greatly admire him,” says Razdan of the film that rolls in September in Bhopal, and is expected to culminate in November.

Jha adds, “Hari-Om feels like homecoming. Soni aunty and I have some wonderful memories of our time spent filming our last movie in Kashmir. This is my third film with Harish sir after Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain and Hum Bhi Akele... Raghubir sir’s casting is a fresh one.”

Alia Bhatt took the internet by storm after she shared a post on her social media page announcing her pregnancy. The picture put up by the actress on Instagram shows her in a hospital bed, as she and her husband Ranbir Kapoor look at an ultrasound monitor. The post also has another picture showcasing a lion family. The actress wrote alongside the pictures, “Our baby. . . coming soon (sic).”

Within no time Alia’s post went viral and received reactions from friends and family. We reached out to Alia’s mother Soni Razdan. The evidently emotional actress confirmed the news saying, “There are some moments in life that are so moving and overwhelming in their sheer power and joy. This is one of them. We’re all overwhelmed and dancing with joy!”

She further added, “Creating a new life is just such an amazing-amazing life altering experience. There simply isn’t anything to beat it. It’s the most beautiful and significant moment for any two people. I wish them (Ranbir-Alia) so much love and joy. And yes, I can’t wait to be a nani too!” Dadi-to-be Neetu Kapoor also thanked the paps when they congratulated her at her reality show’s set.

Meanwhile, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and Karan Johar took their respective social media accounts to express their joy. Ranbir’s older sister posted a picture of the couple, and wrote, “My babies are having a baby. I love you both so much (sic).”

KJo also shared one of couple’s picture from their wedding, and wrote, “So much love for them! My baby is going to be a mother! I can’t express my feeling… so so so excited! Love you Both (sic).”

Ranbir and Alia tied a knot on April 14 at a closeknit family affair hosted in their house in Mumbai.

In what came as a big surprise for their fans, actors Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor announced their pregnancy yesterday. The former took to social media to share a picture of herself during a sonography session, with Kapoor by her side. “Our baby ….. coming soon,” she captioned it. Our source tells us that it will be a December baby for the couple, who got married on April 14.

Bhatt’s mother, actor Soni Razdan, tells us, “We are overjoyed and overwhelmed. Words really don’t do justice to this moment. So happy for Ranbir and Alia, and for all of us. There is nothing greater or more profound than bringing another life into the world.”

Kapoor’s sister, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, says, “We are so thrilled and happy for Alia and Ranbir. They will be the best parents. As a family, we are extremely excited.”

Many celebs wished the to-be parents as soon as Bhatt shared the news. “Heart is bursting,” wrote filmmaker Karan Johar. Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas posted, “Congratulations honey!! Yaaaay! Can’t wait (sic),” while actor Anushka Sharma posted an Insta story with the photo Bhatt shared and wrote, “Welcome to the mommy and daddy club”.

It’s been more than a decade since Abhinay Deo gave us the cult hit, Delhi Belly. Since then, the ad filmmaker has been experimenting with genres as diverse as black comedy (Blackmail) and spy thrillers (Force 2), before he got Karisma Kapoor, Helen, Soni Razdan, Jisshu U Sengupta and Surya Sharma in a casting coup of sorts for Brown, a crime drama set in the underbelly of Kolkata.

In between experiencing his first Norwester on the banks of the Hooghly and shooting in the skinny alleys of the city, Abhinay settled down for a free-wheeling chat with us. Excerpts:

We got on to this project a year and a half back. It is a lovely, intense and interesting idea and we decided to put together the story line, get the actors on board and start filming and see where it goes. This story does not have a beginning, middle and end — but it’s a fantastically written character study about broken people in a broken system with all their nuances. It talks about how people are not black and white as generally portrayed in our cinema. It’s a very interesting milieu for me to explore, and that’s where Kolkata comes in as a character in the film.

As a filmmaker, I hate to run with clichés. Our story is about the underbelly of the city and its different layers — not so much the part which the aam janta knows. In the 10 days that we have been shooting there, we have not shot a single monument or tourist spot in the city. That’s how we intend to keep it. We are trying to capture the different textures of Kolkata — from the rich and big Marwari families to the smallest boatman — and the unhurried pace at which everything moves.

Mare Of Easttown is a great example, but we are also about those dark, intense and jovial vignettes of the Anglo Indians, Biharis, Marwaris, bhodrolok Bengalis — communities that actually bring their cultures into the city and carry the city with them at the same time. The whodunit part is a thread that binds these people together and gives us an opportunity to talk about where they come from, how broken and ‘baggaged’ they are.

I think the new platforms have finally given us an opportunity to tell stories that are not bound by the star system. Imagine trying to do a character study 10 years back! Who would buy that? It is high time we went beyond the 20 people we can count on our fingertips, who you had to approach if you wanted anything to see the light of day. If things did not work out, you tried to get together some people from NSD and show your film on 10 screens.

We had great filmmakers such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray, making documentaries and features with intense character studies. But their work got branded as parallel cinema instead. Imagine what would have happened if they had access to the new mediums and platforms that we do today!

These lines are blurred, the star system is being dismantled. While we have not come to terms with it yet, the process has started. You simply cannot take a big actor and make it work. People have access to so much that they would rather watch something else than any mediocre stuff that comes their way.

I think for many of these ’90s actors, initially there’s a sense of shock because of the change that is happening. After that comes the requirement of involvement, which is intense and immense. Earlier films were made differently; your story was written on the sets. Now it is about adapting to a very different way of life and delivering to the brief. And hats off to the way they are reinventing themselves. Initially, we were a bit skeptical and so was Karisma. She was facing the camera after a long time after all. But she has been delivering, and how! In fact, she gets more and more surprised about herself every day and we pat ourselves on our back a little harder for having stuck to our gut feeling about casting her in the project.

Helen is 80-plus, comes from a completely different era. We had a tough scene where she was supposed to hold her own in a room with many people. We were wondering how it would pan out. But Helen not only held her own, but was spectacular in the way she made her presence felt. But more than the first day of shoot she had a child-like fascination about the very idea of reading from a script — apparently it was her first time! But how absolutely professional she has been and so hard working. In fact, everyone from Soni Razdan to Jisshu to Surya, the young actors from Bengal and Mumbai — for me, it is fun to be able to bring the experience that the seasoned actors bring with them and combine it with contemporary filmmaking style and try to make something out of it.

Doosra is part fiction-part documentary about Indian cricket and a young girl. I have pushed my creative boundaries in a completely different direction with the film. Unfortunately, many of the festivals, where we wanted to take the film, did not know how to slot it. And then Covid also delayed the process. But it is too poignant and special a story not to be told and I hope the audiences will be able to see it soon.

On Thursday evening, actor couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were announced Mr and Miss. The two had an intimate wedding with almost 50 guests. The couple ensured the RK legacy was maintained through the rituals. The nuptials were performed by Pandit Rajesh Sharma, who was a regular at Krishna Raj house. Kapoor and Bhatt took four pheras and had a saptapadi.

Talking to us about the wedding, Sharma shares, “Rishi (Kapoor) ji ka aashirwad lete huye, saare functions kiya hai unhone. It was a traditional Punjabi wedding, with all the rituals that the Kapoor family has been following. They made sure everything happens just like it has always.”

Sharma reveals Kapoor and Bhatt took seven vows right from being each other’s closest friends to having a healthy child. “Ranbir ki iccha thi ki, Panditji puri vidhi samjha ke (shaadi) karana,” he adds. While Sharma says he has been a regular at the Bhatt’s, he lost touch with the Kapoor family in the recent times. “Ranbir and I recently met at Shamshera’s muhurat. That is when he said meri shaadi aap hi karwaoge,” he recalls.

Sharma discloses that the Sehra Bandi (a ritual where the groom’s head is tied with the garlands and pagdi) was done at 3pm. “Four sisters (Natasha Nanda, Riddhima Kapoor Sahani, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor) applied teeka to Ranbir. Shweta Bachchan Nanda played the role of Bhabhi and applied the kaala teeka,” Sharma says.

Post the ritual, the ladke waale including the Kapoor family, Akash Ambani and film-maker Karan Johar broke into “baraat-like bhangra”. It was followed by the Milni ceremony, varmala and the wedding ceremony ended by 5.20 pm. Bhatt’s parents Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan did the kanyadaan.

Sharma adds how he took a dig at Kapoor’s infamous temper during a ritual where Bhatt’s brothers hold her toes on a stone. “They gave advice that there could be instances jaha kisi ki khopdi garam ho, but you need to remain rock steady like this rock. Everyone started laughing at this,” he shares.

As actors Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt’s wedding festivities continue to create buzz, we bring you the inside scoop on all that went on the D-Day. Apart from the pheras, the pair also exchanged rings on the same day. In addition, Bhatt’s mother, actor Soni Razdan, gifted her son-in-law Kapoor with a high-end expensive watch. “It costs almost Rs. 2.50 crore,” a source tells us exclusively.

As per customs and traditions, the guests present at the wedding received Kashmiri shawls, specially picked by the bride. The source adds, “The material of these shawls was incredibly fine and everyone was in awe of it.” Another insider shares that the joota chupai ritual turned out to be quite a fun affair with Bhatt’s girl gang demanding Rs. 11.5 crores from Kapoor. “After much banter, an envelope containing Rs. 1 lakh was given to them,” the source informs.

Bhatt’s haldi ceremony took place earlier on Thursday morning, but the actor skipped the traditional chooda ritual, which requires the bride to wear the chooda for at least 40 days to a year.

“Bhatt will shortly begin filming for her next, which will most likely be her Hollywood debut alongside Wonder Woman actor Gal Gadot,” the insider shared and added, “Therefore she won’t be able to wear the chooda for the time being.”

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor tied the knot on Thursday in a private ceremony at their home in Bandra, which was attended by close friends and family members.

After the wedding, Alia shared a few pictures from the ceremony and wrote, “Today, surrounded by our family and friends, at home… in our favourite spot — the balcony we’ve spent the last 5 years of our relationship — we got married. With so much already behind us, we can’t wait to build more memories together… memories that are full of love, laughter, comfortable silences, movie nights, silly fights, wine delights and Chinese bites. Thank you for all the love and light during this very momentous time in our lives. It has made this moment all the more special. Love, Ranbir and Alia (sic). ”

Alia’s half-brother Rahul Bhatt says, “It all went well. The functions were exquisite and well-managed. Both the groom and the bride looked like a prince and princess. It feels great to be a part of the Kapoor family, and I must say they are such wonderful people.”

The couple took four pheras instead of seven pheras, he says. Talking about his now brother-in-law Ranbir, Rahul says, “Ranbir is the right choice for Alia. Just like Alia knows to pick her films, she made a good choice in finding herself the right life partner. I always believe that destiny is a matter of choice, not chance.”

Rahul says he saw his father, Mahesh Bhatt, in a never-seen-before avatar. “I saw my dad in his element at the wedding (laughs!). I had never seen him in his traditional wear, going all out sporting a turban. He was very happy and having a gala time mixing and mingling with the Kapoors. Soni (Razdan) was very emotional.”

One of Bollywood’s favourite love stories, which started on the sets of Brahmastra, reached its happily-ever-after yesterday. Tinsel town’s power couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at the groom’s Bandra home, Vastu. Following the pheras, the newlyweds posed for the photographers. The groom may be intensely private, but his joy was evident as he went the filmy route and picked up his dulhania in his arms, giving their legion of fans and the waiting lensmen an ‘aww’ moment.

The big day started with a haldi ceremony at Vastu, which was attended by Neetu Kapoor and Riddhima Sahni, as well as Alia’s mother Soni Razdan and sister Shaheen Bhatt. A source says, “The festivity started around 9 am. After a quick round of haldi, Alia started getting ready for the wedding at 11 am.”

Soon, there was a steady stream of baraatis. From Randhir and Kunal Kapoor to Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan with their sons, from Mahesh and Pooja Bhatt to Akash and Shloka Ambani, families and close friends arrived to celebrate D-day. Sources say Karan Johar, who launched Alia in the movies with Student Of The Year (2012), turned emotional on seeing her as a bride. “The pheras took place around 3:30 pm. The wedding was in keeping with traditional Punjabi rituals,” adds the source.

Talking to mid-day, Randhir remembered his late brother and Ranbir’s father Rishi Kapoor. “I wish Chintu were here. We all miss him every day, but more so today. It is wonderful to see Ranbir and Alia starting this new chapter.”

Neela Devi Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor’s wife and the oldest member of the family, welcomed Alia into the fold. “She gave Alia her first shagun. It signified that she is now a part of the family,” says the source.

-----------------------------

Actor Alia Bhatt finally got married to her childhood crush, actor Ranbir Kapoor, on Thursday in Mumbai at Ranbir’s residence, Vastu. The afternoon wedding was an intimate affair with only their closest friends and family members in attendance.

Ranbir’s family — mum Neetu Kapoor and sister Riddhima Kapoor Sahni — arrived in style, wearing designer Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla outfits.

Team bride comprised family members — parents Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan, sisters Shaheen Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt, as well as Alia’s BFF Akansha Ranjan Kapoor.

Ranbir’s uncle, Randhir Kapoor, told us that the family was “happy that Alia-Ranbir got married” but added that everyone was missing his late brother and Ranbir’s dad, Rishi Kapoor, on the occasion. “We missed Chintu (Rishi Kapoor); he should have been here. But life must go on.”

Alia’s team distributed sweets to the media present at the venue, but the security in-charge, Yusuf, admitted that their work was made quite difficult by the paps around. Security forces even made a human chain and used the help of local police officers to escort celebs flocking to the venue.

The couple’s pre-wedding festivities took place at Vastu on Wednesday, and we exclusively learnt from choreographer Rajendra Singh aka Masterji that the Kapoor khandaan surprised the couple with a dance performance on songs such as Mehendi Hai Rachne Waali, Dholida, Tenu Leke Main Jawaanga, etc. He said the wedding was a “very private affair, and no more than 30 to 35 people were present”.

Furthermore, our sources revealed that Alia didn’t opt for an elaborate bridal mehendi, but instead got a minimal and simple design. “She also got an R (Ranbir’s initial) and an 8 (his football jersey number) included in her mehendi design,” informed the source. Her mehendi was done by Chembur-based artist Jyoti Chheda.

Are they? Are they not? There is no denying that the rumoured wedding of actor-couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt is the talk of the town! Though their near and dear ones remain in denial mode and tight-lipped, the dates, venue, guest list, bachelor party and just about everything related to them are making the rounds.

According to reports, the wedding festivities are happening between April 13 and 18. The venue, it seems, is Vastu, which is Kapoor’s Bandra home. And according to our sources, a team of bouncers from Mumbai has done the recce for the security arrangements too.

More reports suggest that the guest list has been finalised not just for the wedding but Kapoor’s bachelor party as well, with filmmaker Ayan Mukerji and actor Aditya Roy Kapur as confirmed attendees.

The rumoured groom-to-be is apparently inviting his make up artists, assistants and spot boys to the wedding.

Moreover, the sources also hinted at how the duo had sped up and wrapped up the shoot for their magnum opus, Brahmastra, in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), only because they wanted to oversee all the wedding prep personally.

“I have no clue about any such rumours,” is what Bhatt’s best friend, Akansha Ranjan, has to say about all these developments. And as for Kapoor’s uncle, Randhir, he tells us, “I have been unwell and was in Pune. If there was a wedding happening in the house, and that too, so soon, I’d have definitely got to know.”

Soni Razdan, Bhatt’s mother, answered our call, and when we told her where we were calling from, she politely replied, “I am putting down the call.”

Opportunities of acting never comes easy. Who knows this better than the experienced actor Soni Razdan who has had projects like Buniyaad, Saahil, Gaatha, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Saaransh, Daddy, Raazi and War to boast of. Despite the mixed reviews for her latest outing, Call My Agent: Bollywood, the actor has received appreciation for her portrayal of Teresa. But Razdan has no time to wait around. She has already dived deep into her next project.

While she continues scouting for better projects as an actor, Razdan is exploring ideas to direct again. Her last film Love Affair (2016) starring Ali Fazal and Kalki Koechlin remains unreleased, but that hasn’t deterred her. “I am working on a project for digital platforms. It’s an important story to tell and has a strong female character at the helm of everything,” says Razdan of the coming-of-age love story.

Having experienced a low-key response to her earlier directorial films—Nazar (2005) and Adnan Khan (2009)—Razdan hopes that the advent of digital entertainment will garner more eyeballs for her projects without the pressure of box office numbers.

“When you are making a movie for a theatrical release, you need to get the audience excited before they enter the theatres and keep them [hooked] for at least two hours. It has limitations. Most movies need some kind of razzle-dazzle—a star, action, or comedy—[to engage audiences]. But on the OTT medium, roles are written for characters of different ages. You also get adequate time to develop real characters with backstories and quirks,” explains the actor, who prefers directing for the web than theatres.