Actor Alia Bhatt has enjoyed a successful career in the Hindi film industry over the past decade, delivering several acclaimed performances and establishing herself as one of Bollywood's leading stars. However, alongside widespread appreciation, the actor has also faced criticism and trolling on social media in recent years.
Now, Alia's mother and actor Soni Razdan has spoken about the online negativity directed at her daughter, including the criticism surrounding her appearance at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. In a recent conversation with Zoom, Soni defended Alia and said that her success is the result of talent and hard work, not merely her family background.
"Alia can't help whose child she is"
Addressing the nepotism debate, Soni said it is unfair to blame Alia for being born into a film family. She also reflected on her own journey, explaining that she entered the industry as an outsider and had to struggle to build her career.
"Alia can't help whose child she is; it's not her fault. I was not a product of the industry; I struggled as an actor and human being to come into this industry, and I am not even half or quarter as successful as many other women of my time. Also, the world does not owe you a living if you want to make it in the industry, and you are going to complain… When I came in, 101 people were children of people who were already in the industry. I didn't even think about it. If I think about that, how will I do what I wanted to? So I was focused on what I was doing. Why don't people do that? It's very easy for people to blame; there is nothing fair about this world."
Soni Razdan says Alia earned her place through hard work
Soni acknowledged that Alia received an opportunity to audition for her debut film because of industry connections. However, she stressed that securing a long and successful career required consistent effort and ability.
"It is not Alia's fault that she is Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan's daughter. Somebody called up and said they would like to audition her, but after that… Once that first step is over, it's her hard work. If that audition had gone wrong and somebody had decided that she was hopeless, she wouldn't have gotten the role. So there has been one thing after another which helped her to climb the ladder of success."
Alia Bhatt represented L'Oréal Paris at Cannes 2026
Alia Bhatt attended the 2026 Cannes Film Festival as a global brand ambassador for L'Oréal Paris. During her visit, she walked the red carpet, attended the inauguration of the India Pavilion, and participated in international media interactions, where she spoke about the importance of gender-agnostic storytelling in cinema.
Her appearance at the festival attracted significant attention online, with sections of social media praising her looks while others criticised her, prompting discussions around celebrity trolling.
On the professional front, Alia Bhatt is currently busy promoting Alpha, the first female-led action film in YRF's Spy Universe. The film also stars Sharvari, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol in key roles and is scheduled to release in theatres on July 3, 2026.
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