After the humongous success of his last directorial venture Badhaai Ho (2018), filmmaker Amit Sharma is presently busy with his next Maidaan. Produced by Boney Kapoor in association with ZEE Studios and Chrome Pictures, Maidaan is a sports biopic based on the life of legendary football coach Syed Abdul Rahim.
The biopic stars superstar Ajay Devgn in the role of Syed Abdul Rahim. Sharing the screen space with him will be popular South Indian actress Keerthy Suresh, who recently bagged the prestigious National Film Award for her exceptional portrayal of iconic actress Savitri in Tamil film Mahanati (2018). She is set to make her Bollywood debut with Maidaan.
Talking about the film, Amit Sharma told a newswire, "It is a story of a person who has done a lot. I am not calling it a biopic, I am calling it the golden era of Indian football. The film is about that. So the challenge is how to make this in the best way.”
Adding further, the filmmaker said that though it is a sports biopic, it will not enter the cliché zone. "The scale is bigger, football is there, sports is there, but it won't be going in the cliché zone. We are trying to give it a fresh perspective. That's the challenge," he added.
Amit, who is happy that his film Badhaai Ho received two National Awards recently, said that he plans to direct and produce more films under his banner. "I will be producing and directing more films through my banner. When you get a National Award for the first film you produce, the challenge is to make sure whatever comes out next from here should also be amazing. It can't be that we will make anything just because Badhaai Ho was a hit. No, it doesn't work like that. Even if I am not directing and only producing with my partners, it has to be something which is talked about,” he concluded.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' 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.