Bollywood star Sidharth Malhotra, who won great reviews for his performance as Kargil martyr Vikram Batra in his last release Shershaah (2021), has teamed up with hit filmmaker Rohit Shetty to headline his cop thriller series, set at Amazon Prime Video. Both are set to make their digital debuts with the yet-to-be-titled project.
Speculations about Malhotra and Shetty coming together for a high-profile streaming project had been doing the rounds for several months now. Now, it is confirmed that the duo is indeed joining forces for the first time.
The eight-episode series will be jointly directed by Rohit Shetty and his Chief Assistant Director Sushwanth Prakash. The team is set to begin production on March 10. The first schedule kick-starts at Mumbai’s Vile Parle.
Speaking about the project, Shetty had earlier told a publication, “We are working on it. We are working on something in which I will be the showrunner. I don't want to invest that much time when we started writing it. We are working on something which my Chief AD (assistant director) will be directing. I will be the showrunner. What we realized was, if you are genuinely working on something and it is of a big scale, it is like making four films. It is 10 hours of footage. If you really want to cash on it, I am not saying it's the easy way but if you really want something like what we are working on, that will take a lot of time. That's what we have realized, me and my team.”
He went on to add, “We have been working for one year on the script. It has been almost a year now but still, we are not ready with the final draft like 'Yeah, this is the draft we want to shoot'. It's genuine and on a bigger scale. It's like putting in hard work for four films because the footage is for ten hours. We are giving four films' energy into it. Yeah, I will be the showrunner of what we are doing but just doing it I didn't see myself going all out and doing it, I don't see it happening now. But, yeah, my company is doing it, I will be there throughout and our Chief AD will be directing it.”
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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.