The much-anticipated special, Dining With The Kapoors, has become the talk of the town even before its premiere. According to the trailer, the show brings together generations of Bollywood royalty — from Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Saif Ali Khan to Randhir Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Rima Jain, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Aadar Jain as well as Navya Naveli Nanda — for an intimate, laughter-filled family lunch that celebrates the legacy of the family as well as the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor.
But among all the glamorous faces at the table, fans couldn’t help but notice one glaring absence — Alia Bhatt, the youngest Kapoor daughter-in-law and one of Bollywood’s biggest stars today.
The mystery behind Alia’s absence
The question that immediately sparked online chatter was simple: if everyone from the Kapoor clan made it, why wasn’t Alia there? In a chat with Bollywood Hungama, producer Armaan Jain finally addressed the curiosity. Explaining why Alia couldn’t be part of the shoot, he said, “She had prior commitments to shoot. I might sound filmy, but like Raj Kapoor said, ‘work is worship.’”
A family of workaholics
Director Smriti Mundhra echoed Armaan’s sentiment and praised the family’s commitment to their craft. “That is the one thing about this family. They are all workaholics and they all love what they do. There is always an understanding that everyone makes an attempt to gather and prioritise as much as possible, but inevitably there’s one or two people who can’t make it because of work—and that’s always allowed,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Director Smriti Mundhra echoed Armaan’s sentiment and praised the family’s commitment to their craft. “That is the one thing about this family. They are all workaholics and they all love what they do. There is always an understanding that everyone makes an attempt to gather and prioritise as much as possible, but inevitably there’s one or two people who can’t make it because of work—and that’s always allowed,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Armaan added that scheduling conflicts like this are common in a family full of actors and filmmakers. “Every function it happens — literally Christmas get-togethers, Diwali get-togethers. It happens,” he shared. But despite missing the shoot, Alia has been openly supportive of the show, taking to her Instagram stories to promote the project.
About Dining With The Kapoors
Dining With The Kapoors offers a warm peek into the heart of the Kapoor family. From their dining traditions to intimate reflections on Raj Kapoor's legacy, the show sets the stage for a rare inside look at one of Bollywood’s most storied families. The series premieres on November 21 on Netflix.