Exclusive | Alia Bhatt On Becoming A Producer: 'You Have To Use Your Fuel For Other Vehicles'

Alia Bhatt walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival on May 12, returning as a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris.

In an exclusive conversation with Anupama Chopra for The Hollywood Reporter India, Bhatt reflected on her journey from actor to producer after years of working across films. She revealed that she instantly fell in love with the script of Darlings the moment it came to her. While the details of the project were still being worked out, her father, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, shared a piece of advice that stayed with her: “There comes a point in time where you have to use your fuel for other vehicles.” Bhatt described that moment as the initial spark behind her production house, Eternal Sunshine Productions. Darlings eventually marked the debut for both the banner and director Jasmeet K. Reen.

She also spoke about her upcoming production venture, Don’t Be Shy, which she is backing alongside her sister Shaheen Bhatt. The coming-of-age romantic comedy marks the directorial debut of Sreeti Mukerji and is set to introduce four newcomers. Bhatt shared that working with fresh talent brings a different kind of excitement for her, especially when she sees the potential and energy younger actors and filmmakers bring to the table.

Speaking about Eternal Sunshine Productions, Bhatt clarified that she sees herself as a “creative producer” rather than someone simply looking to back projects at scale. She added that she and Shaheen are “slowly and surely” building a slate that explores different kinds of stories and formats beyond their existing filmography.

On the acting front, Alia was last seen in Jigra alongside Vedang Raina. She now has two of the biggest projects of her career lined up for release — the spy actioner Alpha, which is currently in post-production, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic drama Love & War.

Watch the full interview on The Hollywood Reporter India YouTube channel