Ratna Pathak Shah takes a dig at young actresses trying to be cute on set,’ praises Alia Bhatt for being ‘focused’

Ratna Pathak Shah takes a dig at young actresses trying to be cute on set,’ praises Alia Bhatt for being ‘focused’

• Ratna Pathak Shah criticises young actresses for focusing on being 'cute' on set
• She praises Alia Bhatt for her focus and dedication to her craft
• Ratna observed Alia attentively watching co-stars during Kapoor & Sons filming

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Veteran Bollywood actor Ratna Pathak Shah recently offered candid remarks about the working styles of younger actresses in the film industry, expressing disappointment in what she described as an excessive focus on being “cute” on set rather than prioritising craft and professionalism.

Her comments also included praise for Alia Bhatt, whom she said stood out for her focus and dedication.

While speaking with Pinkvilla, Ratna Pathak spoke about the on-set behaviour of actors which she has observed across generations of performers.

Drawing on her years of experience, she said many new actresses seem preoccupied with their image, often trying to be excessively entertaining or “cute”, in ways that can detract from their work and performance.

This, she argued, can ultimately work against their credibility as performers rather than helping them.

However, Ratna Pathak was quick to differentiate Alia Bhatt from that trend, highlighting her as an example of a young actor who embodies seriousness and concentration. Ratna noted that while Alia and she did not have scenes together on the set of Kapoor & Sons, she watched how Alia observed her co-stars’ performances attentively — even when she was not acting. That attentiveness, said Ratna, demonstrated a deep commitment to learning and improving her craft.

Ratna said, “Bahot hi attentive hai wo, tab maine jo note kiya unke baare mein. (She was very attentive.) She used to be at the monitor all the time, not when she was acting, but when others were performing. She observed very carefully.”

The actress added further, “She didn’t talk much, which is surprising because young actresses seem to feel the need to be the cute entertainer on set all the time. They feel that being that cute person is going to help them. It just makes them performers in many cases. Not Alia. I was very impressed by her. She kept herself very quiet. I don’t think we exchanged more than a few words. We never had any scenes together, unfortunately. But I thought she was extremely gifted and focused. I liked her.”

Also read: Ratna Pathak Shah shares Satish Shah’s last text message to her: I’m often mistaken for...

Directed by Shakun Batra and produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta under Dharma Productions, Kapoor & Sons featured Rishi Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor.