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When we think of Alia Bhatt’s debut, the first thing that comes to mind is Student of the Year (2012)—a glamorous, star-studded Karan Johar film that introduced her as the next big thing in Bollywood. But what if we told you that this wasn’t actually her first film?
Alia Bhatt’s First Film
Surprisingly, Alia Bhatt made her Bollywood debut way back in 1999, in a psychological thriller titled Sangharsh! Yes, at the tender age of six, she played the younger version of Preity Zinta’s character, Reet Oberoi. Directed by Tanuja Chandra, the film starred Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, and Ashutosh Rana—whose terrifying villainous act is still remembered.
Was Sangharsh Inspired by The Silence of the Lambs?
The gripping thriller was often compared to the Hollywood classic The Silence of the Lambs, but director Tanuja Chandra denied these claims, saying it was based on a real-life lost police case in India. Despite the controversy, the film received positive reviews and was praised for its performance.
Alia Bhatt’s Forgotten Connection With Ranbir Kapoor
Here’s another lesser-known fact: Student of the Year wasn’t even supposed to be Alia’s first lead role! Originally, Sanjay Leela Bhansali planned to launch her in a film, alongside none other than Ranbir Kapoor. While everyone knows about Alia and Ranbir Kapoor’s love story, many don’t know that they were almost set to debut together! Sanjay Leela Bhansali had planned a film titled Balika Vadhu, where a young Alia and Ranbir were supposed to star together. Alia was just 12 years old at the time, and during a photoshoot for the film, she had to place her head on Ranbir’s shoulder.
Years later, when Alia and Ranbir finally got together, fans couldn’t stop talking about how their connection had been written in the stars all along!
And today, as she celebrates her birthday, it’s crazy to think that it all started with a psychological thriller 25 years ago.
So, Student of the Year might be the film that made her a star, but Sangharsh was where it all really began.
Happy Birthday, Alia Bhatt!
