Alia Bhatt is currently making headlines for her spy-thriller Alpha, which is all set to hit theatres tomorrow, on July 3. The film marks the first time Alia will appear in a full action avatar on the big screen. Ahead of Alpha's release, it is worth looking back at some of her standout films, in which she has surprised audiences with her acting. Interestingly, Alia Bhatt has consistently chosen characters that go against the grain.
Udta Punjab: playing a Bihari migrant labourer
In this film built around Punjab's drug crisis, Alia Bhatt played a Bihari migrant labourer. The film showed how her character gets trapped in a terrifying situation and then fights her way out of it. For this extremely challenging role, Alia changed everything from her dialect to her entire look. Her performance was widely praised by both critics and audiences.
Highway: the role of Veera that reshaped her image
Having started her career with a glamorous film like Student Of The Year, Alia Bhatt stunned everyone by playing Veera in Highway. In this film, she played a girl who experiences true freedom for the first time only after being held hostage. This performance completely broke Alia's earlier image and won her the Filmfare Critics Best Actress award.
Raazi: the undercover spy Sehmat Khan
In Meghna Gulzar's cult film Raazi, Alia Bhatt played Sehmat Khan, a Kashmiri girl who becomes an undercover spy for her country and marries into a Pakistani military family. The delicate balance Alia brought to the role, between hidden fear, inner turmoil, duty and unwavering resolve for the nation, made this thriller unforgettable.
Dear Zindagi: a sensitive take on mental health
In this film, Alia Bhatt played Kaira, a talented cinematographer grappling with childhood trauma, heartbreak and mental health struggles. Her on-screen chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan in the film was widely appreciated. Alia portrayed this character with such ease and sensitivity that audiences became her fans.
Gully Boy: a fifth consecutive Filmfare for Safeena's role
In the musical drama Gully Boy, Alia Bhatt played Safeena Firdausi, an extremely possessive, hot-tempered but ambitious medical student. Her bold dialogues, impeccable comic timing and strong screen presence stole the show in the film. For this powerful portrayal of Safeena, Alia Bhatt won the Filmfare Award for a fifth consecutive time, a record in itself.
Gangubai Kathiawadi: the finest performance of her career
In this biographical film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Alia Bhatt played a girl who is deceived and sold into prostitution, but who fights her circumstances to emerge as a powerful mafia queen of Kamathipura. The self-respect, pain and authority that Alia brought to the character of Gangubai on screen is considered the finest performance of her career.
