Alia Bhatt referred to Deepika Padukone as a ‘friend’ and praised her for her international achievements in a new interview. The Gangubai Kathiawadi star appeared on the cover of Vogue Singapore in which she spoke about her recent milestones, including her international debut with Heart of Stone. Alia starred in the film with Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan, playing a pregnant hacker.
During the interview, she was asked what it means to her to be a ‘beacon of South Asian representation on a global stage’, Alia said she takes it seriously. She creditted Deepika, Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai for paving the way. “I take that compliment seriously because I know how much of a struggle it’s been for many people all over the world,” she said.
“And I think we’ll always feel like, ‘Okay, are we the last people at the table?’ But that is slowly changing. My friends such as Priyanka [Chopra], Deepika [Padukone], even Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have done big things. The power we share is unique. It’s a cultural hot mine,” she added.
Explaining the importance of South Asian representation, Alia said, “It’s one world that we share. I also feel that local content can find a place on the map if it has widespread storytelling. It’s happened with various pieces before, from Money Heist to Squid Game. Whether it’s content from India like Made in Heaven, there’s so much stuff that’s there for people to consume that it’s going to be harder to pick. When it comes to putting together the big pieces, I think it’s on the makers and the people creating to try and put them together with as much sensitivity to people from all walks of life and cultural representations. And it’s on us too to take that narrative forward.”
Alia has been busy with her work lately. She has a number of projects in the making. These include the rumoured Baiju Bawra film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and her film with R Balki, titled Jigra.
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