Alia is a star and I don’t work with stars: Mahesh Bhatt

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has never been hesitant to invest in newcomers and fresh talent. But when it comes to working with his own daughter, the young and vibrant Alia, he has his reservations.

Bhatt calls his youngest daughter a “star”.

Asked if he will ever work with his daughter, the 64-year-old said an emphatic “No”.

“She is a star in her own world, and I don’t work with stars,” said the film veteran.

Sharing his reaction on her career graph as a father and a filmmaker, Bhatt said, “She is lucky to get what she wants.” But for him, success comes with a clause.

“She got what we call ‘the misfortune of success’ because I was fortunate enough to be unsuccessful when I started and then I was groomed in the pain. She had the privilege of a fantastic take-off in the industry and that too with diverse films. But it’s still a beginning,” he said.

Bhatt feels “she has to do a lot to keep on fulfilling the unreasonable demands that audiences make” because no one spares anyone in their failure.