There will always be those who don t like what I do – Alia Bhatt responds to criticism for Badrinath Ki Dulhania

Among other things, Shashank Khaitan s Badrinath Ki Dulhania has been accused of misogyny and encouraging stalking. Alia Bhatt who plays the object of Varun Dhawan s (unwanted) attention is unfazed by the criticism. No matter what I do there ll always be people who disapprove and express their dislike vocally. My father (filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt) calls it an occupational hazard. I ve learnt to live with criticism early in my career. I see it as a chance to improve myself.

As for Varun Dhawan‘s character stalking Alia Bhatt in Badrinath Ki Dulhania she reiterates very strongly, No, he doesn t play a stalker. Badri is not stalking Vaidehi. From the beginning we were very clear on this. Varun wouldn t play a stalker. And I wouldn t encourage that kind of attention. Yes the couple have their issues. But she is in love with him all the same.

Alia Bhatt plays a runaway bride in Badrinath Ki Dulhania, a situation she wasn t comfortable being in as an actor. I kept asking our director Shashank Khaitan, how could she do this? But I guess my character Vaidehi had her dreams. Maybe her timing to fly with her dreams sucked. Hota hai.

I tell Alia this is her first full-fledged latka-jhatka role, and she corrects me. No, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania was my first latka-jhatka role. I had fun doing that. I had even more fun doing Badrinath. But I remember during Humpty I couldn t get one of the dance steps right. No matter what I did our choreographer Ganesh Master (Acharya) was not happy with that step until I realized I was being too subtle with that step.

The dance steps in Badrinath Ki Dulhania remind us of Govinda and Raveena Tandon. Alia Bhatt laughs, It wasn t intentional. But yes, if our movements give off those vibes it is because we grew up watching them and we love those films.