Armaan Jain, producer and member of the Kapoor clan, has finally addressed the speculation around Alia Bhatt’s absence from the highly anticipated Netflix special Dining With The Kapoors. The documentary, which promises an intimate family luncheon to mark 100 years of Raj Kapoor’s legacy, features Ranbir Kapoor and several other members of the Kapoor family, but Alia is conspicuously missing from the trailer.
Armaan explained that Alia could not participate because she had prior work commitments. He acknowledged that it might sound dramatic, “I might sound filmy,” he confessed, but anchored his reasoning in a long-standing family philosophy: “work is worship,” a line he attributes to Raj Kapoor.
This isn’t just Armaan’s view. Director Smriti Mundhra, who is helming the special, echoed his sentiments on the Kapoor family’s strong work ethic. She pointed out that everyone in the family is deeply passionate about their craft and that scheduling conflicts are inevitable. She said that it’s understood in their family that “one or two people” may not make it to every gathering, and that’s okay.
In fact, Armaan added that such clashes are normal in the Kapoor household. Whether it’s a Christmas dinner or a Diwali reunion, someone is likely to be tied up with work, and the family accepts that. He insisted there’s no drama or bad blood: these absences are simply part of the reality of a family of actors.
Despite not being in the actual show, Alia has shown support. According to sources, she reposted the Dining With The Kapoors trailer on Instagram with a warm message congratulating Armaan for putting the project together.
Although her physical presence is missing, her emotional connection to the family remains strong. Viewers may not see her in the frame, but she’s there in spirit, supporting them from behind the scenes.
The series itself is described as a warm tribute to the Kapoor legacy, combining personal anecdotes, old memories and hearty food. By bringing together various generations around a dinner table, the show promises a rare peek into real conversations, shared laughter and the bonds that have held the Kapoor family together over decades.
In a way, Alia’s absence makes the story more relatable, not every family reunion is perfect or complete, even in Bollywood royalty. Her non-appearance, far from being a snub, appears to reflect a normalized tension between career demands and family tradition.
As fans await the show’s premiere on November 21 on Netflix, Armaan’s explanation seems to have calmed some of the chatter. The larger takeaway? Even within big star families, work commitments matter, and sometimes, love and loyalty show up off camera.