Samriti Dhatwalia
At the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Alia Bhatt found herself at the center of a heated internet debate after questioning Bollywood’s obsession with “male-centric” cinema. While many praised her for addressing gender imbalance in Indian films, critics quickly called out what they saw as hypocrisy, especially because of her public support for Animal starring Ranbir Kapoor.
Alia Bhatt Questions Bollywood’s “Male Audience” Fixation
During a conversation at Cannes, Alia reflected on how global cinema has increasingly embraced women-led storytelling while Indian films still largely cater to male viewers. Referring to the success of films like Barbie and other female-driven projects internationally, the actress questioned why Indian filmmakers continue to target what is often called the “mass male audience.”
She reportedly said that storytelling should be “gender agnostic” and that films should not alienate any audience based on gender.
Internet Calls Out ‘Animal’ Connection
The backlash began almost immediately after clips of the interview surfaced online. Many users pointed out that Alia had openly celebrated Animal, a film heavily criticized for glorifying toxic masculinity, violence, and misogyny.
Social media users questioned whether it was contradictory for her to criticize male-dominated storytelling now while having publicly defended or promoted films that fit the very category she was critiquing.
Silence Around ‘Dhurandhar’ Adds Fuel To Debate
Another layer to the controversy involved Dhurandhar, the controversial action-thriller directed by Aditya Dhar. Online commentators claimed that Alia remained silent about conversations surrounding the film despite speaking about gender politics in cinema at Cannes. The criticism intensified because Dhurandhar itself became one of the most debated Hindi films of recent years, attracting conversations around violence, and nationalism.
Fans Defend Alia Bhatt
Despite the backlash, many defended the actress, saying that pointing out Bollywood’s systemic issues does not invalidate her perspective. Others noted that actors often work within commercially driven systems shaped by market demands and industry power structures.
The debate around Alia Bhatt’s Cannes remarks has now become larger than the actress herself. It reflects Bollywood’s ongoing struggle with gender politics, audience targeting, and the contradiction between progressive interviews and commercial film choices.
In an industry where male-led spectacles still dominate the box office, Alia’s comments reopened an uncomfortable but necessary conversation: can Bollywood truly move toward inclusive storytelling while continuing to reward hyper-masculine blockbusters?