National Film Award-winning Bollywood star Manoj Bajpayee will be part of an in-depth live conversation at the 10th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), the organisers announced Monday. The festival will be held online from November 4 to 10.
Bajpayee, who recently received the best actor National Award for Bhosle, will be speaking to leading film critic Namrata Joshi on November 2 at 7.30 pm as part of a special pre-festival launch event.
The discussion will retrace Bajpayee's unique career trajectory, the rigour and persistence required for an actor to survive and thrive, while deftly catering to wide audiences across OTT, indie and mainstream cinema. It will be open to the public via Zoom link registration on online.diff.co.in.
Festival Director Ritu Sarin said the team is "delighted" to host an intimate conversation with Bajpayee to build excitement and kick off a week of incredible cinema at DIFF 2021. "The new additions to our line-up of live talks and roundtables that engage with specialized filmmaking topics like short narratives, screenwriting and production are sure to be of great interest to aspiring filmmakers, artists and film-lovers alike," Sarin said in a statement.
Other new additions to the DIFF 2021 Special Programmes line-up include a conversation between acclaimed Bangladeshi visual artist and filmmaker Naeem Mohaiemen and Jeebesh Bagchi, one-third of Raqs Media Collective, who originally commissioned his film Jole Dobe Na, screening this year at DIFF 2021.
Renowned Israeli documentary filmmaker Avi Mograbi, whose The First 54 Years is also set to be screened at this year's festival, will talk to Tibetan writer Tendor Dorjee about his new film.
On November 8, the gala will host a Writing and Production Roundtable with the writer/producer teams of Uljhan, Ashish Pant and Kartikeya Narayan Singh, and Shoebox, Faraz Ali, Noopur Sinha and Faraz Khan, to discuss their respective processes as indie filmmakers.
Assistant and Art Director Avani Batra, known for Slumdog Millionaire and Delhi Crime, will moderate the discussion.
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.