Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt, who is busy promoting her debut production venture Darlings, recently addressed the criticism and trolling surrounding the song “Kesariya” from her next release, Brahmastra. Ever since “Kesariya” was unveiled, it became a target of trolling and inspired memes because of the words “Love Storiyaan” in the lyrics.

Alia, who was in New Delhi for the launch of the song “La Ilaaj,” asked why she should be concerned with the trolls when “Kesariya” is topping music charts. She said, “Gaana number one pe hai, toh main kyun complaint karun! (The song is number one on the charts, then why should I complain).”

Producer Karan Johar had celebrated the fact that “Kesariya” is the number one song on Spotify India with the highest ever daily streams. He also mentioned that the song had topped the global YouTube music video chart with the highest number of views.

With Darlings, Alia has also donned the cap of a film producer but that doesn’t change her process as an actor. She still feels she is an actor first. “On set, I am an actor first. I don’t think I ever walked on the set thinking, ‘oh my acting process needs to change because now I am a producer too.’ I have always felt protective about my films, just that now I am a little more protective,” said Alia.

Alia essays the role of a housewife Badrunissa in Darlings. She is a victim of domestic abuse. But instead of brushing her domestic issues under the carpet, she decides to take revenge against her husband Hamzaa (played by Vijay Varma). Shefali Shah plays Alia’s mother, and partner in crime

Though her film has two strong female characters at the centre of the plot, Alia said that Darlings explores the “mother-daughter dynamic like never before.” For her, Badrunissa’s relationship with her mother is “so rare and beautiful”.

During the press conference, Alia was also asked if this is the best time to be an actor. Alia replied, “It’s a great time for movies. There’s so much scope for writers and creative directors. They need not be worried about day one box office and really explore worlds and characters they want to portray.” And, going forward, Alia wants people to just “write good characters and stories first, gender ka baad mein dekhenge (we’ll worry about the character’s gender later)”.

Alia, in the past year, has achieved a lot on the personal and professional front. Her film Gangubai Kathiawadi is among the top earners of 2022. She got married to Ranbir Kapoor in April 2022 and is now expecting their first child. But she will wait before she decides to direct a film, as “It’s a very hard job to be a director. It’s the hardest. For now, I just hope every director has a story to direct me in.”

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Arushi JainArushi Jain works as a Senior Sub-Editor in the Entertainment section ... read more