Masala romantic comedy — this is pretty much the preferred trope for any star kid when making their debut. Such films give them a chance to showcase every talent they possess — act, dance, show off their glamorous and emotional side, everything.
Cut to 2020, when Alaya F, daughter of actor Pooja Bedi and granddaughter of Kabir Bedi, is making her debut with a film which will see her minus any stereotype. She plays a pregnant 21-year old in Jawaani Jaaneman, with Saif Ai Khan playing her father! “Honestly, a lot of people get ‘launches’. For me, this was a ‘break’,” says Alaya when we ask why she didn’t go for a conventional Hindi film.
“I did a lot of auditions and tests for lots of films, this is the one that worked out because I happened to fit into it perfectly. I am grateful, as this is the perfect choice! It’s unconventional, and I want to do that for the rest of my career, conventional, unconventional, all of it. People are asking me ‘what type of films do you want to do’, I can never answer it hence!,” says Alaya.
Did she discuss Jawaani Jaaneman with her mom after she bagged it? “I told her about it like I told everybody else,” she quips, “I took everyone’s opinion, right from mom, to my manager, everyone said it’s a great film. I went with my gut feeling, and I had no doubts in mind.”
The way would have been easy for her if she chose to use her connections, so it’s surprising that she didn’t choose to. Asked why, she tells us, “I don’t know… for me, I always wanted it to be my own thing. When you get people involved, you are obligated to take their opinions. My mom hasn’t been to a single set, even a photoshoot of mine. I like my independence, and making my own choices. I am sure I will make a lot of mistakes, I have made a lot of them, but they are mine to learn from. Maximum my mother and grandfather would do is get me meetings with makers to show them my work, my portfolio, my acting reel. They would say ‘you have great potential, very good’, but that was about it, I never heard from them again. That was more to meet people in the industry. But getting my film and everything was through my agency.”
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