Alia Bhatt at 8 declared 'Actress banungi' on Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai
Synopsis
Before 'Raazi', before 'Gangubai', before 'RRR' — there was an 8-year-old Alia Bhatt on a chat show telling Suresh Oberoi, without a flicker of doubt, 'Actress banungi.' The resurfaced clip from 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' is a rare moment of childhood prophecy fulfilled, made all the more striking because sister Shaheen said the exact opposite — and she, too, turned out to be right.
Key Takeaways
A throwback clip from 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' shows 8-year-old Alia Bhatt declaring 'Actress banungi' to host Suresh Oberoi .
Mahesh Bhatt introduced Alia on the show as 'aspiring to be an actress'; sister Shaheen Bhatt said she had no interest in acting and wanted to become a writer — both statements proved accurate.
Alia made her Bollywood debut with 'Student of the Year' (2012) , directed by Karan Johar .
Her career spans over 14 films , including 'Raazi' (2018) , 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' (2022) , 'RRR' (2022) , and 'Alpha' (2026) .
She is next set to appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Love and War' alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal .
Long before she became one of Bollywood's most celebrated performers, a young Alia Bhatt made her ambitions unmistakably clear — on national television, no less. A resurfacing clip from the popular chat show 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' shows an 8-year-old Alia confidently declaring 'Actress banungi' (I will become an actress) when asked about her future, decades before she would go on to prove exactly that.
The Throwback Moment
The clip features Alia Bhatt alongside her parents, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and actress Soni Razdan, and her sisters Pooja Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt. While introducing his youngest daughter, Mahesh Bhatt told the audience, 'Alia is aspiring to be an actress.' Host Suresh Oberoi then turned to the young girl directly, and without hesitation, Alia responded: 'Actress banungi.'
In contrast, Pooja Bhatt introduced Shaheen by noting she was 'not remotely interested in being an actress' — a claim Shaheen firmly seconded with 'Not at all.' When Suresh Oberoi asked whether Shaheen aspired to follow her father into direction, she said she wanted to become a writer instead. Notably, both sisters went on to fulfil precisely what they had said on camera — Alia as a leading Bollywood actress and Shaheen as an author.
From Chat Show to Bollywood Stardom
Alia Bhatt made her Bollywood debut in 2012 with Karan Johar's 'Student of the Year', a launch vehicle that also introduced Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra to mainstream Hindi cinema. What followed was a career defined by range and risk — from the road-trip drama 'Highway' (2014) and the espionage thriller 'Raazi' (2018) to the pan-India blockbuster 'RRR' (2022) and the gritty biographical drama 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' (2022).
Her filmography across more than a decade includes '2 States' (2014), 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania' (2014), 'Kapoor and Sons' (2016), 'Dear Zindagi' (2016), 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' (2017), 'Gully Boy' (2019), 'Darlings' (2022), 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' (2023), and most recently 'Alpha' (2026).
What's Next for Alia Bhatt
Alia is next set to appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious love saga 'Love and War', sharing screen space with husband Ranbir Kapoor and actor Vicky Kaushal. The project marks a rare instance of a real-life couple reuniting on screen under one of Bollywood's most distinctive directorial voices, and anticipation around it has been high since casting was announced.
Why the Clip Resonates
The resurfaced footage carries particular weight in the context of Alia's career arc — a child from a film family who did not simply inherit stardom but built a body of work critics and audiences have consistently engaged with. This comes amid growing interest in celebrity origin stories, with fans frequently revisiting old television appearances of now-established stars. The clip also offers a rare window into the Bhatt family's dynamic, showing candid sibling contrasts that have since played out in public life.
Point of View
But its deeper resonance lies in what it says about intent in a profession where nepotism debates run hot. Alia Bhatt came from a film family yet still had to prove herself film by film — 'Highway' and 'Raazi' were not handed successes. The fact that an 8-year-old's declaration on a chat show holds up decades later is partly biography and partly evidence that sustained effort can outrun the narrative of privilege. The more overlooked detail here is Shaheen: her 'not remotely interested' has held equally true, and her path as an author — including writing about mental health — has carved its own distinct credibility. Both stories deserve equal air.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Alia Bhatt say on 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' as a child?
An 8-year-old Alia Bhatt told host Suresh Oberoi 'Actress banungi' (I will become an actress) on the chat show 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai', where she appeared alongside her parents Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan and sisters Pooja and Shaheen Bhatt. The clip has resurfaced and drawn fresh attention given how precisely her childhood declaration played out.
What did Shaheen Bhatt say she wanted to become on the same show?
Shaheen Bhatt said she had no interest in acting and wanted to become a writer when asked by host Suresh Oberoi on 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai'. She later fulfilled that ambition, going on to author work focused on mental health.
When did Alia Bhatt make her Bollywood debut?
Alia Bhatt made her Bollywood debut in 2012 with Karan Johar's 'Student of the Year', which also launched Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra. The film marked the beginning of a career that now spans over a decade and more than 14 major releases.
What is Alia Bhatt's next film?
Alia Bhatt is next set to appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Love and War', alongside husband Ranbir Kapoor and actor Vicky Kaushal. The project has drawn significant anticipation as a high-profile reunion of a real-life couple under one of Bollywood's most prominent directors.
Which films are considered Alia Bhatt's most notable performances?
Critics and audiences have frequently cited 'Raazi' (2018), 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' (2022), 'RRR' (2022), and 'Gully Boy' (2019) among her strongest performances. Her career also includes 'Highway' (2014), 'Kapoor and Sons' (2016), 'Dear Zindagi' (2016), and 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' (2023).
