Indian cinema star Alia Bhatt is ready to steal the hearts in her Hollywood debut, Heart of Stone as an antagonist who keeps her co-stars Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan on their toes in the espionage thriller from Netflix.
Bhatt, along with Gadot (Wonder Woman) and Dornan (Belfast), unveiled the first trailer of Heart of Stone during the streamer's global live event Tudum in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on late Saturday night. The film, set to premiere on August 11 on Netflix, is directed by Tom Harper from a script penned by Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder.
An excited Bhatt shared the trailer of Heart of Stone on social media. "HEART OF STONE. August 11. @Netflix @NetflixIndia #Tudum," the 30-year-old wrote on Twitter.
According to the streaming platform, the film is headlined by Gadot's Rachel Stone, who appears to be an inexperienced tech, on an elite MI6 unit headed up by lead agent Parker (Dornan).
"What her MI6 team doesn't know is that Stone actually works for the Charter -- a covert peacekeeping organisation, secret even from other spies, which uses cutting-edge technology to neutralise global threats. Rachel has been trained to be the consummate professional: a phenomenal field agent who sticks to the mission, follows the numbers, and trusts no one," said Netflix in a press release.
And it is the Heart, the most valuable and dangerous asset, that gives the Charter its power. "It can crash a market or drop a plane out of the sky. If you own the Heart, you own the world," says a character in the trailer of Heart of Stone.
Bhatt, star of Indian films such as Raazi, RRR, and Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva, plays Keya Dhawan, a hacker who "breaches" the security to steal the Heart and demands the Charter, the organisation, to "answer to me".
"You think you know everything but the world is about to see the truth," says Keya (Bhatt) in the trailer.
As Stone races to protect the Charter and strives to beat the odds, her humanity might just be her biggest asset, said the streamer.
Heart of Stone is produced by Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger, along with Mockingbird's Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn, and Gadot and Jaron Varsano's Pilot Wave banner. Harper, Rucka, and Patty Whitcher serve as executive producers.
The film will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
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.