When a 20-something charming woman hits stardom, the herd attempts to bring her down. The appellation ‘pretty young thing’ reduces a person to her appearance and age, discounting her talent altogether.
“There is such a thing as creative freedom and cinematic licence. Artists (or anyone!) cannot be at the mercy of goons” – Alia Bhatt in a tweet
Alia Bhatt has often been made the butt of jokes. Social media is rife with questions such as ‘Why is Alia Bhatt so dumb?’ But in 2016, Bhatt silenced— nay, obliterated—all those naysayers simply by the force of her talent. So what if she was caught on camera weeping over the presence of cheeseballs on a menu? She won a Filmfare Award, Screen Award and Zee Cine Award for Udta Punjab. If she plays a young migrant trying to break free of the shackles of drug dealers in Udta Punjab, she turns an insomniac grappling with life choices (versus life circumstances) in Dear Zindagi. Add Highway and 2 States to her repertoire, and it is obvious that Bhatt is an artiste who ought to be taken seriously. The last laugh is hers.
(For the complete list of power of argument in 50 portraits click here)
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