Oscar-winner Lady Gaga is in early negotiations to play Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie a Deux, reportedly billed as a “musical” follow-up to director Todd Phillips’ 2019 blockbuster.
Last week, the filmmaker confirmed the sequel to Joker in an Instagram post, which also revealed that Joaquin Phoenix, who played the titular character in the Warner Bros/DC film is expected to reprise his role. Sources told a publication that the sequel is also a musical.
Details on Gaga’s character are being kept under wraps, but Joker is known for his on-off abusive relationship with Harley Quinn, his psychiatrist at the Arkham Asylum who falls in love with him and becomes his partner-in-crime. Past Warner Bros’ projects have seen Margot Robbie and Kaley Cuoco star as Harley Quinn.
When the director teased the script of Joker: Folie a Deux, written by him and Scott Silver, speculation started doing the rounds that Harley Quinn would be a part of the follow-up. Folie a Deux, refers to a shared delusional disorder, and Joker’s only real companion — other than Batman, anyway — has been Quinn, a character first created for Batman: The Animated Series in the early 1990s.
It is also unclear whether Gaga would also contribute any music to the project. The pop star worked with Phillips, who served as a producer on her 2018 film A Star Is Born, which earned Gaga an Oscar nomination for best actress and a win for original song.
Phoenix, who won best actor Oscar for his performance as Arthur Fleck aka Joker, is expected to return but his deal has yet to be closed.
Phillips’ Joker is a ‘character study’ of Arthur Fleck, a mentally unstable loner whose health begins to decline after Gotham slashes funding for social services, forcing him to abandon his therapy sessions, making his medications inaccessible and turn into The Joker. The film also won a best original score Oscar for Hildur Guonadottir.
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.