When Alia Bhatt was too shy to put her head on Ranbir Kapoor's shoulder: 'Bhansali sir was saying I was flirting'

Sanjay Leela Bhansali was convinced that 11-year-old Alia Bhatt was flirting with Ranbir Kapoor during a photoshoot for their would-be debut film, Balika Vadhu.

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor might be one of Bollywood's most enduring couples, but they have yet to star in a film together. But do you know that they could have worked together several years before finally sharing screen space in the delay plagued Brahmastra?

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have been in a relationship for more than three years now.

Ranbir and Alia were supposed to appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Balika Vadhu, and had even done a photoshoot for it. Ranbir was around 20 at the time, while Alia was 11.

During a promotional event for her 2014 film Highway, Alia said that Bhansali sensed a special chemistry even then. "Bhansali sir was saying I was flirting with Ranbir," she said.

In 2017, at the Lokmat Maharashtrian of the year Awards, Ranbir gushed about Alia's performance in Highway, and recalled the story of their would-be debut. He said, "Not many people know that Alia and me were actually going to debut together when Sanjay Ji was making a film called Balika Vadhu. We had also done a photoshoot together and since then, I have been a fan of her. Also, when she worked with Imtiaz Alia in Highway, I loved her work. I remember I watched the film and told a friend that Alia is Amitabh Bachchan, she is doing such good work at such a young age. It was quite amazing. So I have been a fan of Alia Bhatt before she became an actor.”

Alia replied, “Yes, what he’s saying is correct. When I met Ranbir for the first time, I was 11-years-old. He was assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali and I had to do a photoshoot with him. And I was so shy that I had to keep my head on his shoulder and I could not do it.”

In 2017, Ranbir told Hindustan Times that he has been 'connected to (Alia) since' then. "She is a fine actor, very unassuming about her success and talent. Plus, she is very evolved, cool and chilled out, so I am looking forward to the film," he said about Brahmastra, which has been in production for several years. The couple fell in love while making the film, and recently resumed shooting.

Alia, meanwhile, finally bagged a Bhansali movie, Gangubai Kathiawadi. The film will be released in theatres soon.