By: Mohnish Singh
Tamil superstar Vijay, who is currently riding high on the riotous success of his latest film Master (2021), has multiple projects in his platter right now, one of them being director Nelson Dhilipkumar’s next directorial.
Dhilipkumar, who began his directorial career with black comedy crime thriller Kolamavu Kokila (2018), has teamed up with Vijay for the first time. The project will be bankrolled under the banner of Sun Pictures.
The latest we hear that talented actress Pooja Hegde is set to romance Vijay in the upcoming film. For the uninitiated, the former beauty pageant winner made her silver screen debut with the 2012 Tamil film Mugamoodi, co-starring Jiiva. After Mugamoodi, she went on to establish herself as one of the leading actresses in Telugu cinema and also created ripples in Bollywood.
Nine years after the release of her debut film Mugamoodi, Pooja Hegde is set to star in her second Tamil film and that too opposite superstar Vijay. While an official clarification on ongoing speculations is expected to arrive soon, Hegde is busy working on her upcoming projects in Tollywood and Bollywood.
In Telugu, she is presently filming for Most Eligible Bachelor and Radhe Shyam. Radhe Shyam, in fact, is a multilingual film that will also release in Hindi. As far as her Bollywood projects are concerned, she has already started shooting for Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus alongside Ranveer Singh and Jacqueline Fernandes. She has also been confirmed to star alongside megastar Salman Khan in Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali.
Vijay’s next, which is tentatively being called Thalapathy 65, is expected to be a high-octane action entertainer if the glimpses of guns and speeding cars shown in the announcement video are anything to go by. Rumours are also doing the rounds that actor Arun Vijay has been approached to play the lead antagonist in the upcoming film.
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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.