I am single and link-ups don’t bother me - Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt is on a roll these days. Just a couple of months after wowing audience with her stellar performance in Highway, she is back again, this time with a romantic caper, 2 States. Tellychakkar.com recently caught up with this effervescent Bhatt girl for a lively chat. How did 2 States happen? It happened while I was shooting for Student of the Year. I had read the book while shooting and remember telling myself that if this book is made into a film, I would like to be in it. And then when I got to know that Dharma is making the film along with Sajid (Nadiadwala), I nursed a hope in my mind that they may consider me but I never thought it would happen. Then one day, I was asked to do a look test because they wanted to see if I would look appropriate enough to play a Tamilian girl and whether I would look good with Arjun. So the look test in saris and all went all but I didn’t hear anything for the next five months. So just when I was wondering if I had been selected or not, I got a call from them. And personally, for me it was a big achievement. How difficult was it to play a novel based character? See, with Ananya, I have tried to be as natural as possible because the moment you try extra hard everything else goes for a toss and it can be seen that you are faking it. I purely went in with my director Abhishek Varman’s instincts because he loves the book so much that no one else could have directed it. Highway brought you much fame and glory. Does that make you nervous going forward? What I wanted Highway is for people to say that I am an actor. Many had this notion that I am here to be a star which is not right. I am here to be an actor and not a star. I feel nervous with every film as I am not 5 to 10 film old. People are not coming to see Alia Bhatt. They are coming to see a film in which I am starring in among others. So that fan base is not yet there. Hence, I will be nervous with every film that releases till I get a steady fan base. Do you take acting tips from your dad, Mahesh Bhatt? He doesn’t give me any tips on acting. I think that will happen when I finally work with him. And when will we see that happen? Well, I don’t think he will direct anymore. I have tried to convince him many times but he calls himself an extinct volcano and he doesn’t exist anymore as a director. He is a writer now and hopefully he will write a film for me. And I wish it should be a film like Aashiqui 2 that should end up making 100 crore at the box-office. In 2 States, your parents oppose your plans to get married to Arjun initially. In real life, do you think you will face any opposition from your parents? Well, my father doesn’t want me to get married. My father has told me and my sister that none of you girls are going anywhere and that he will lock us up in the room. And he is honest and blunt about the fact that he doesn’t want any of us wants to get married. I think no father ever wants his daughters to get married. Recently, Karan Johar on Koffee with Karan asked my father, ‘ Who do you want Alia to date?’ And he clearly said ‘I don’t want Alia to date anybody.’ He is very possessive. For example, if my sister’s boyfriend or my boyfriend were to get me or her a present, my dad would say, ‘I will get you two presents.’ On Koffee with Karan, you mentioned that you wanted to marry Ranbir Kapoor… (Cuts in) You know how the industry is and how actors are? They will never discuss their personal life. So if I really wanted to marry Ranbir Kapoor, do you think I would tell you that? I said it in a fun way that Ranbir is adorable and I want to marry him. It’s just a fan talking. If I actually want to marry somebody, I am never going to tell you. Okay so tell us what are the ideal qualities you look for in your dream man that is if don’t have one already? (Laughs) No, No. I am single. I am not dating anybody right now. My kind of guy should have a great sense of humour, should be okay with me being an actor because sometimes that is not accepted by many people. He should also be loyal should be honest. I am a very romantic girl at heart. So I want this simple boy who will keep me happy. A lot of brouhaha has been created over you kiss with Arjun in 2 States. Why is the ‘kiss’ being over played? What can we do when people only want to write about it? This film is not about kissing. It’s just there in the movie for three seconds. And the kiss is there to establish the fact that me and Arjun are in a live-in relation. That’s it. This is a family movie. Did your father object to your kissing scenes? Not at all. He knows that am an actor and I am acting. Had I been kissing my boyfriend in front of him, he would have given me two tight slaps. How do you deal with link-ups? Does it upset you? See, I believe that there is no smoke without fire. But if that is not the case, one should accept it as a part and parcel of the game. If I were to be dating Varun or Arjun, I will never talk about it. I have gone out of my way to say how much I love Varun as he is a very close friend. But if I were to be dating him, I would say he is just a good friend of mine. So link-ups don’t hurt me because I know what the truth is. You have often been compared to Kareena Kapoor. How do you take these comparisons? It’s flattering when people compare me to Kareena Kapoor but I don’t think I am like her. There can be only one Kareena Kapoor. I am her biggest fan and I am not trying to be like her.