fbb Colors Femina Miss India West 2018 pageant came to a glamorous end on 13th May, 2018 at Hyatt Regency Pune. India’s most prestigious beauty pageant gave the winners of the 4 states of the West Zone the opportunity to make a splashing entry directly to the Grand Finale of fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2018. Yes, Miss India Goa, Miss India Maharashtra, Miss India Rajasthan and Miss India Gujarat directly entered the coveted beauty pageant which is going to be held in Mumbai on 20th June.
Four celebrity mentors had come onboard to judge and select the best talent from each of the four zones. And these celebrities include:
Pooja Hegde: Indian model-turned-actress Pooja Hegde is a well-known name in the fashion world. A former beauty pageant contestant, Hegde walked home with the second runner-up crown at the Miss Universe India 2010 competition. Soon, she decided to dive into showbiz and debuted with Mysskin's Tamil superhero movie Mugamoodi. After making her name down south, she made her Hindi film debut with Ashutosh Gowariker's period drama Mohenjo Daro opposite superstar Hrithik Roshan.
Sonaakshi Raaj: Sonaakshi's work has been very popular amongst many leading faces of Bollywood, who have sported her creations many a times, such as Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Kangana Ranaut, Priyanka Chopra, Madhuri Dixit & Sushmita Sen, to name a few.
Nushrat Bharucha: Nushrat Bharucha is a popular Bollywood actress who is known for her roles in several Hindi films, including Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Pyar Ka Punchnama, Akaash Vani, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety.
Shreyas Talpade: Marathi and Bollywood actor-director, Shreyas Talpade has many successful films to his credit. Some of his successful films include Apna Sapna Money Money, Om Shanti Om and Golmaal series. He recently made his directorial debut with Poster Boys, starring Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol.
Sai Tamhankar: An Indian actress who has appeared in several Marathi and Hindi films. She was born and raised in Sangli. Tamhankar completed her schooling from Savarkar Pratishthan.
The winners included:
| NAME | STATE |
| Nikita Soni | Rajasthan |
| Anushka Luhar | Gujarat |
| Mehak Punjabi | Maharashtra |
| Aashna Gurav | Goa |
The event was hosted by swashbuckling Meiyang Chang. Performances by Salman Yusuf Khan and Kings United India left the audience spell bound.
A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
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.