Age of Alia: From 'Student Of The Year' to 'Heartstone', decoding the journey to stardom

Back in 2012, when Karan Johar’s Student of the Year made a splash at the box office, the audience was enthralled with the set of new faces that knocked on the door of Bollywood. There was a shift from the stars of yesteryears to those who represented the youth of today; a new era had begun. The movie attracted mass opinion across all spectrums and amidst the conundrum of criticism and praise emerged Alia Bhatt. A pivotal character in the movie, Bhatt’s Shanaya outshone her co-actors to a certain degree. Despite that, the 19 year old Bhatt’s debut faced harsh backlash, she was bashed for her acting skills and consequently, for her inability to answer questions during the movie’s promotion phase. The seemingly young Alia’s image was torn to tatters; from her capacity to act to her place in the industry, everything was critiqued. She was perceived as just another lacklustre stereotypical South Bombay kid. The industry with its notorious trend of promoting star progenies seemed to have put another one at a pedestal, but here’s when Alia started swimming back up.

Alia’s career trajectory is a contrast to the otherwise popular narrative of being typecast into the same set of roles. Her entry in the industry was during a time when it was expanding exponentially, structuring new roles and giving voices to those who were rendered as invisible or secondary earlier. Women were no longer the man’s silent accomplice and the scope for their expression became greater than ever. In her first movie, the Alia who was fit in the trope of being the prize of two boys found her role elevated by her second with Imtiaz Ali. Under Ali’s direction, Bhatt underwent a visible transformation in the movie, “Highway”. Released in 2014, it featured Alia in a rawness which was formerly unexpected by the audience. Playing Veera Tripathi, a young woman from an affluent family in Delhi, she showcases the dilemma of being unable to belong saliently. Her monologue about sexual abuse towards the end of the movie is one which strung the heart of the spectators and exposed a major scar in the family system. A strong storyline and shots which relied on the actor’s ability to manifest feelings in the hearts of the viewer allowed the actress to put all her colours at display. However, this peak was followed by a string of similar movies wherein Alia seemed to be relishing her comfort zone as the sweet lover girl but this changed with Udta Punjab.

At an individual level, it appeared like a sweet case of reclaiming her identity but on the larger scale, Alia’s roles slowly morphed into women characters which have been cloaked since the inception of Hindi cinema. In an interview with NDTV, the actress made a remark about her role in Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Udta Punjab’ in which she played the role of a Bihari Migrant trapped in Punjab’s drug infested circles. She said, “Perhaps, this is a character which even I wouldn't have imagined myself doing but I have always wanted to play roles which are a bit unlike me. Not out of the box necessarily but those which people wouldn't think that I could play.” Accordingly, in the same year when her movie Dear Zindagi rolled out, it was again a testament to her versatility. In the one of a kind movie, Bhatt not only brought forward the budging issues of mental health forward, she proved that she was beyond the archetype of the romance invested uni-dimensional character that she previously entertained. Her cheeky charm coupled with her ability to channel unabashed emotions made a perfect combo for the Indian woman who sought more from the mass movies. There was a growing demand for fresh perspectives through the lens of girlhood and Bhatt catered it well.

By 2018, Alia had long shed her previously stapled labels. There was an observable difference in the Alia who had walked into Bollywood with her unsure steps and in the Alia who had firmly planted her feet in the industry’s ground. It was in this very year that Bhatt delivered the performance of a lifetime in Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Raazi’. She aced the role of a daughter, a wife and a spy all at once while demarcating each from the other beautifully. Gulzar’s movie, which is an enactment of real incidents, is one of the only patriotic movies with a female lead and Alia surely justice to it. The viewer sobbed at her anguish, cheered for her spirit and relished in her victory; every part of hers spoke the language of the character and registered itself straight in the minds of the masses.

Alia’s endeavor of not settling with a particular genre has helped in the growth of her relevance. When news of her being cast in Bhansali’s movie in and as sex worker and social activist, Gangubai Kathiawadi, started floating around, it again bought in a scope for skepticism. The role of Gangubai required an actress who carried herself boldly with an even bolder voice, her demeanor demanded resemblance to that of the daunting woman that she represented. Alia’s dainty frame and her bubbly self made room for uncertainties, but when the movie released, that room was immediately sealed shut. In a stringent patriarchal society like that of India’s, the choice to convey the tale of a sex work activist is one which is tough but the movie received tons of praise. Alia carried the movie effortlessly and conveyed the plight of the workers with accuracy. From her dialogue delivery to the way her lips adorned the red lipstick, Alia in Gangubai was a casting decision done right.

Over the years, Alia found herself in multiple crossroads and has made numerous decisions which proved to be counterproductive but regardless, her growth is commendable. Today, the actress, who placed herself outside the box of conventionally cut out roles, is being lauded on a global scale with her debut in Hollywood in the movie, “Heart of Stone” as spy Keya Dhawan. Her brief appearance in the movie has procured well deserved praise and attention. Alia Bhatt’s contribution to cinema is that of unparalleled women based narrative with most of her roles delving in the intricacies of the woman experience. Her vision and dedication continues paving the way ahead to prosperity; making her one of the few actresses who emerged successful at the face of brutal criticism.