It gave me a different level of joy, fulfilment: Alia Bhatt on producing new movie 'Don't Be Shy'

It gave me a different level of joy, fulfilment: Alia Bhatt on producing new movie 'Don't Be Shy'

Mumbai, Actor-producer Alia Bhatt says producing her upcoming young-adult romantic comedy "Don't Be Shy" has given her a different kind of fulfilment as she got to introduce four newcomers and a debutant director to audiences.

It gave me a different level of joy, fulfilment: Alia Bhatt on producing new movie 'Don't Be Shy'

Bhatt, who made her acting debut 14 years ago with Dharma Productions' "Student of the Year", has produced the movie along with her sister Shaheeh through their banner Eternal Sunshine Productions, which they founded in 2021.

The film marks the directorial debut of Sreeti Mukerji, who also wrote the screenplay, and introduces four new actors Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora and Piyush Khati.

"This is a very big moment for us. Fourteen years ago I made my debut as an actor. And 14 years later, I am today introducing four new actors and a debutante director. And I'm way more nervous than they are right now," Bhatt told reporters at the trailer launch of the film here on Friday evening.

"I really have butterflies in my stomach because I love being an actor and I love being in front of the camera. But it gives me another level of joy because we've been involved in building the world and story from the word go," she added.

"Don't Be Shy" is a coming-of-age romantic comedy centred on Shyamili "Shy" Das, a 20-year-old who believes she has her life figured out before an unexpected turn throws her plans into disarray.

The film explores friendship, first love, heartbreak, bad decisions and the messy process of growing up.

"It's really a story very close to my heart and I feel everyone will resonate with it because we all love what comes with growing up," she said.

Bhatt also shared a childhood memory while explaining the idea of "ragebait", a term commonly used online for content or remarks intended to provoke a reaction.

"It's what Shaheen used to do to me as a kid, where she used to say to me that I'm not my mom's and my dad's child, I came free with Parle-G. So that was Shaheen ragebaiting me when I was four," she said.

Shaheen said she connected with the story because of its familiar themes of growing up and confronting the gap between expectations and reality.

"I remember thinking how familiar it felt. I feel like we all have a certain idea of what life is going to be like when we're growing up. You think success looks a certain way. You kind of decide who you're going to love. But life really follows that set plan," she said.

"I love what 'Don't Be Shy' has done with that feeling. It's taken it and turned it into something messy, romantic, chaotic, fun, and ultimately something just really hopeful," she added.

Through their banner Eternal Sunshine Productions, Alia and Shaheen have produced projects such as "Darlings", which starred Alia, Shefali Shah and Vijay Varma, as well as series "Poacher" and Alia's 2024 movie "Jigra".

Also starring Kunaal Roy Kapur, Anurag Basu, Neha Dhupia and Anju Alva Naik in pivotal roles, "Don't Be Shy" will premiere on Prime Video on September 25.

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