The tinsel town of Tollywood is presently buzzing with the rumours that Naga Chaitanya and Samantha are on the verge of ending their four years long marriage. The rumours started when the Oh! Baby (2019) actress dropped Akkineni from her surname on social media.
In a recent interview, when Chaitanya was asked how he manages to remain focussed on work at a time when his personal life is making it to the headlines every single day, he said that he has tried to keep his personal life separate from the professional one from the very beginning of his acting career.
“I think from a very early time in my career, I sort of kept my personal life personal and my professional life professional. I never mixed the both. I have always had this habit that I learned from my parents as I was growing up. I always noticed once they came home, they never spoke about work. And when they went to work, their personal life was never diluting into work. It was a very nice balance that they maintained, which I always observed,” the actor told a leading entertainment website.
When asked if the minute-by-minute coverage of his personal life is hurtful or harmful, he said, “Initially, yes, it was a little painful. I was like ‘why is entertainment heading this way?’ But after that, what I have learned is that in today's age, news replaces news. Today there is one news, tomorrow there is another news, today’s news is forgotten. But in my grandfather's time, there were magazines, and magazines used to come once in a month. And that news sustained till you got the next piece of news. But today, you are getting the next piece of news the next second or the next minute. It does not stay in people's minds for too long. The actual news, the news that matters will stay. But the superficial news, the news that is used to create TRPs, is forgotten. Once I made this observation, it stopped affecting me.”
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Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.