South Indian filmmaker Sandeep Vanga Reddy made his Bollywood directorial debut with T-Series Films and Cine1 Studios’ Kabir Singh in 2018. Starring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani in lead roles, the movie set the box-office on fire and turned out to be one of the highest grossing ventures of the year. After the massive success of Kabir Singh, Reddy must have thought that putting together his next Hindi project would be a cakewalk. However, nothing of that sort seems to be happening for the filmmaker.
According to reports, Sandeep Vanga Reddy is finding it difficult to lock the cast of his next Hindi film Devil. Reportedly, the filmmaker had earlier approached Ranbir Kapoor to play the title role in the film. However, the actor turned down the offer for reasons best known to him. He then took the film to Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, who also refused as it did not cater to his audience.
Now, we hear that Reddy has offered Devil to to Pan-India star Prabhas, who became a force to reckon with after the earth-shattering success of Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017). Though Prabhas’ last offering Saaho (2019) did not turn out to be the kind of blockbuster one was expecting before its release, the movie was a profitable venture and made good money. But Prabhas is still being very cautious about his next projects. After Saaho, he has just completed yet another multilingual film Jaan opposite Pooja Hegde of Housefull 4 (2019) fame.
Prabhas is yet to decide whether or not he should be signing the project on the dotted line. But as per some reports, the actor is likely to come onboard. Bhushan Kumar of T-Series Films is bankrolling the project. More details are expected to arrive soon.
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.