Rohit Saraf made his debut with the 2016 release Dear Zindagi. He later featured in movies like Dear Maya and Hichki but got fame with the 2019 release The Sky Is Pink which also starred Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, and Zaira Wasim. After The Sky Is Pink, the actor starred in Netflix’s Ludo and Mismatched.
Saraf now has a huge fan following especially in youngsters and he says that the kind of love he is getting is surreal. He told PTI, "To wake up every day and realise that there are thousands of people sending love and support your way is one of the biggest things for me. I grew up loving actors from a distance but still felt so close to them. I feel like to be on the other side right now is one of the biggest opportunities I could ever have.”
Further talking about how he handles the pressure, the actor said, "There would be pressure if I let myself feel that. There's a huge number of people I'm inevitably responsible towards but my biggest responsibility is towards myself. I need to be happy with what I am doing. I'm thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing so I don't think of the pressure.”
"I am the kind of person who over-thinks, so I don't want to get to a point where I'm creating scenarios, taking pressure, and people being unhappy. Till the time I am happy, the directors I'm working with are happy, I'm home,” he added.
Saraf will next be seen in Netflix anthology’s Feels Like Ishq. He plays the male lead in the segment titled Star Host which is directed by Anand Tiwari.
The actor plays the role of a house host Aditya, who strikes a bond with his guest Tara, played by Simran Jehani.
Talking about his character in Feels Like Ishq, the actor says that he is totally opposite to Aditya when it comes to relationships. Saraf said, "I need everything to be linear and correct. I like to know the beginning and the end. If we are talking about relationships, I like to know what is the end of it, to have a closure, just so that I don't build scenarios in my head. I thought that's the correct thing to do.”
"But what this story taught me was that it's ok to not have closure, to not have an end to a particular relationship. I'm not like Aditya, I am someone who is articulate about how I feel. For me, it was a bit strange-I wouldn't say difficult-to not be that," he added
Before they shot for the segment, the team had a three-day reading session, and Saraf reveals that during the reading sessions he felt ‘under confident’.
He revealed, "I felt extremely under confident because I just wasn't getting it. I felt if I was not understanding the character or if I would be able to achieve it. The entire pressure to let the character down started to play.”
"What really helped was the two-hour workshop we did one day before the shoot. We built Aditya's character- the way he talks, walks, expresses, we found everything in that. Anand sir comes from a theatre background, which is why we did these exercises. The kind of rush I felt in those two hours is something I continue to chase everyday," Saraf added.
Feels Like Ishq will start streaming on Netflix on 23rd July 2021.
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.