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‘Show Up For Yourself’: Alia Bhatt, Zoya Akthar, Swapna and Priyanka Dutt on Being Women in Entertainment Today
The Hollywood Reporter India sits down with some notable women from THR India's Power List for a conversation on ambition, resilience, and the quiet power of choice
The Hollywood Reporter India sits down with four women from the power list — Zoya Akhtar, Alia Bhatt, and sister duo Swapna C. Dutt, and Priyanka C. Dutt — for a conversation on ambition, resilience, and the quiet power of choice. They reflect on early struggles, the weight of perception, and the art of setting boundaries. From the white lies they tell to keep the wheels turning to the truths that anchor them, their stories weave a portrait of careers shaped by instinct and intent. They also speak of lifting others — through stories, opportunities, and the space to step forward on their own terms.
Read More | The Hollywood Reporter India's Women in Entertainment Power List 2025
THR: What were the things you wish someone had told you when you first started your career?
Zoya Akhtar: When I first started my career, I wish someone had told me: It’s going to take time. Hang in there, you’ll land on your feet.
Alia Bhatt: The things I wish someone would have told me when I had just started out: Number one, change is the only constant. Number two, you don’t have to have it all figured out in life; you can make mistakes along the way and just learn and grow. And number three, always have a snack.
Swapna C. Dutt: More than something I wish someone had told me, it’s something that my dad once said: “You don’t know what you’re getting into, and it’s going to be very difficult.” I am so glad that he prepared us for what we were getting into.
Priyanka C. Dutt: I wish someone had told me to relax and finish college because I really miss being a student and going to college. I would like to go back. So, I wish someone would have told me to finish it.
THR: When did you get comfortable with the power you wield with setting boundaries and saying no?
ZA: I think from the time I could speak. I think I always set boundaries.
AB: I think it comes very organically, because you realise that saying yes to everything eventually also means just saying no to yourself. Setting boundaries is just a way of protecting your own energy, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Especially as an artist — I’m not sure about other departments, but as an artist, I think a lot of what you give is what you conserve as well. So conserving is okay. That’s your right.
SD: I would say that saying “no” is when we kickstarted a career. So, we started doing well only when we realised that we had to say no to something that we didn’t like or that our hearts were saying wouldn’t make great cinema. I mean, we’ve gone against the regular grade of commercial cinema, and when we started making the kind of cinema that we liked, that’s when I think our careers changed. So “no” played a big role in our lives.
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THR: What is the one thing that you dislike people saying to you?
ZA: That I am intimidating.
AB: One thing that I dislike people saying to me is, “Ae, you’ve changed.” And to me, that’s like — okay, I think that’s good. It would be terrifying to be the same person that you were when you were 16 years old. Change is good.
PD: Okay, so when people say, “It’s easy for you”, or “I am sure it must have been easy because you come from a film family”. I say it’s not easy. Producing is not easy. Even if you are someone’s daughter, you end up losing money. So, it’s absolutely not easy.
THR: What is the one life hack that helped you get ahead?
ZA: Being honest and kind at the same time, I think, has gotten me far.
AB: One life hack that helps me get ahead is to just show up. Whether it’s good, whether it’s bad, whether it’s not comfortable — show up. And show up most importantly for yourself.
PD: For me, I feel like when you start something, just finish it. However hard it is, just focus on finishing it. The result is not in your hands. This is something I follow, and it’s been helping me.
SD: For me, it’s absolute consistency. In our field and the different roles that we play, it’s very easy for us to lose focus. I am constantly pushing myself to keep going. So that’s really important for me.
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THR: Who is the one person, male or female, whose life and choices continue to be a source of inspiration and why?
ZA: I know it’s going to sound really cheesy, but my dad. Because he has navigated his life and career with integrity.
AB: I’m going to give you a cheesy answer, but I think it’s very, very true. It’s my mum. It’s only because I think she’s really taught me that power does not have to be loud. Strength does not have to be loud. It can be soft and kind but unshakable at the same time. Although I am a very loud person, I admit — but you get the gist.
SD: My father, for sure. Because he is the one who taught us that cinema has to be beautiful. You need to give it whatever it takes, and that has become such an important element in our lives.
PD: Definitely my father — he is 70, but he is still chasing that one good script. So that’s an everyday inspiration.
THR: On what occasion do you lie?
ZA: I lie on two occasions. One is when I don’t want to hurt someone, and the second one is when I want to get my shot. And I say whatever it takes — for the latter.
AB: Me revealing my truth to the world [laughs] — I think when somebody asks me how far I am, it’s always five minutes. Five to seven minutes. It’s never ten or twelve. Even though it might be fifteen. Five to seven is always good.
PD: I do lie sometimes to Nagi (her husband, writer and director Nag Ashwin). Whenever he asks me, “Are we okay on the budget?” I’m like, “Yes, we’re okay.” I don’t want to tell him that we are not okay. I don’t want him to get stressed and have it show in his work. So yes, I do lie to him sometimes.
SD: I think a little bit of people pleasing we do once in a while, and that little bit of lying is part of our life, I guess.
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THR: As one of the most powerful women in entertainment today, how would you like to empower other women to step up?
ZA: I think one way to empower women is by actually giving them a platform and, offering a helping hand, lifting someone. And I think I could do that in my field by enabling women to make their own films, to tell their own stories, and to produce films for women. And to get them to direct. I would do that.
AB: First of all, you don’t need permission to step up. So don’t ask — give it to yourself. And again, it’s cheesy, but “believe in yourself” is the only thing that is going to get you through any of the hard days. Because no one else will tell you what you bring to the table. You have to tell yourself what you bring to the table and believe in that till the end.
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