Ten leading figures from the world of cinema from five continents are expected to participate in Marrakech International Film Festival’s In Conversation With... series.
In front of festival audiences, actors, directors, screenwriters, and producers are invited to share their vision and professional practice, all mixed in with tasty anecdotes and impromptu conversations.
The conversations are sure to be rich and exciting, with this year's guests, who include: charismatic Australian actor and director Simon Baker; talented Moroccan director Faouzi Bensaïdi, to whom the Festival pays tribute this year; free-spirited and audacious French director Bertrand Bonello; Willem Dafoe, the US actor with a legendary filmography; influential Indian filmmaker and producer Anurag Kashyap; singular Japanese director Naomi Kawase; magnetic Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who will receive the Festival's Étoile d'or; intense Danish-American actor and director Viggo Mortensen; chameleonic Scottish actor Tilda Swinton; and multi-award-winning, widely respected Russian director and screenwriter Andrey Zvyagintsev.
Born in 1972, Anurag Kashyap is an Indian director, producer, screenwriter, and actor known for his work in Hindi cinema.
He is the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards. For his contribution to cinema, the Government of France made him a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2013, the year India was the featured country at the Festival de Cannes to commemorate one hundred years of Indian cinema.
Kashyap is the acclaimed director of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Ugly (2013), Psycho Raman (2016), Dev D (2009), and Black Friday (2007), and was one of the directors of Netflix's first Indian series, Sacred Games (2018–2019).
His most recent film, Kennedy (2023), had its premiere in the Official Selection of the Festival de Cannes.
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.