Actor-turned-producer Alia Bhatt, who made her Bollywood debut with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year in 2012, has steadily built an impressive career with films like Highway, Raazi and Gangubai Kathiawadi. Now stepping into production, Alia is making headlines for her upcoming project “Don’t Be Shy”—and her decision to introduce fresh, “outsider” talent.

At Amazon Prime Video’s #ItStartsHere event, where the platform unveiled its 2026 slate, Alia attended alongside her sister Shaheen Bhatt. During the event, she discussed “Don’t Be Shy”, sparking a lighthearted yet meaningful exchange with host Karan Johar.

Karan teased Alia about her confident, producer-like responses, saying she had already mastered the craft. Alia, quick with wit, responded that there is “a way to launch actors,” prompting Karan to joke about his own legacy of introducing new talent—including Alia herself.

When asked directly whether her new film features outsiders, Alia confirmed it does. Karan responded warmly, saying he was proud of her, acknowledging her effort to create opportunities for fresh faces in the industry.

Directed by Sreeti Mukerji, “Don’t Be Shy” is produced by Alia and Shaheen under their banner Eternal Sunshine, in collaboration with Chalkboard Entertainment. The film follows Shyamili “Shy” Das, a 20-year-old whose carefully planned life begins to unravel unexpectedly. The cast and release date are yet to be revealed.

Alia is gearing up for Alpha, directed by Shiv Rawail. The film is part of the YRF spy universe and features Sharvari, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol. It is slated for a theatrical release on July 10, 2026.