Alia Bhatt recalls Mahesh Bhatt’s theatrical side, shares childhood memory

Bollywood star Alia Bhatt has spoken about her filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt recalling a childhood memory that captured his theatrical and his larger-than-life personality.

Following a special screening of Om Ka Hari which stars her mother Soni Razdan, Alia spoke about one of her father’s quirks that has stayed with her.

She said in a statement: “My father is very theatrical and that sometimes makes for great memories. For example, when I was in 1st standard, I had a spelling test and I was worried I was, for some reason, going to forget the spelling of ‘the’.”

“My father made it a point to build into my memory, so he did some overbearing gesture to teach me the spelling so I don’t forget it. But I remember him being this, like, grizzly bear, highly theatrical and highly entertaining.”

Om Ka Hari explores the complexities of the father-son relationship through comedy, drama and the things families often struggle to say to one another.

Directed by Harish Vyas, Om Ka Hari stars Anshuman Jha and Raghubir Yadav in the titular roles of Om and Hari.

The film follows a stubborn father and his independent-minded son, whose relationship is shaped by generational differences, disagreements and deeply held expectations. When Hari believes he has only a few days left to live, he decides to make a journey to Varanasi, with Om accompanying him.

What begins as a journey marked by conflict gradually becomes an opportunity for the two to confront the love, hurt and things left unsaid between them.

At its heart, Om Ka Hari explores one of mankind’s oldest rivalries, father versus son and asks a deeply personal question: When was the last time you said “I love you” to your father.

Produced by First Ray Films, Om Ka Hari releases theatrically on September 18.