Mumbai, Sep 28: As Raha Kapoor, the daughter of Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, prepares to celebrate her third birthday, stories from her family continue to melt hearts. Recently, veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt opened up about a light-hearted yet memorable exchange with his granddaughter, which also revealed Alia’s wit and warmth.
Speaking Hindi with Raha
In a candid chat with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Mahesh Bhatt revealed that while most family members speak to Raha in English, he chose to connect with her in Hindi.
“A few days ago, my granddaughter Raha came home. I noticed everyone was speaking to her in English, so I said, ‘You all speak to her in English, I’ll speak to her in Hindi.’”
However, as Alia was leaving, she made a remark that surprised him. “She said, ‘That will be your only contribution to her life.’”
Bhatt recalled his initial shock and immediate reaction: “I asked her, ‘Only contribution to her life?’”
Alia’s quick correction
Alia quickly clarified her words, correcting herself: “No, no, sorry! I meant to say great contribution.”
The filmmaker laughed as he remembered teasing her further: “So now you are taking a step back and correcting yourself?”
To make up, Alia reminded her father of the values he had instilled in her. “She said, ‘You’re the one who taught me never to make anyone wait, to always be on time — no matter how ordinary the person may be, always respect their time and be five minutes before time.’”
Bhatt admitted he felt proud, realising that such lessons had stayed with her and were now shaping the way she parents Raha.
Alia’s parenting style
In another interview with Humans of Bombay, Bhatt reflected on Alia’s dedication to motherhood despite her busy career. He described her hands-on approach with Raha, always ensuring her daughter is close by even during work commitments.
“I recently did an ad with her and Amitabh Bachchan. I noticed there was a vanity van just for Raha,” he said. “Alia told me, ‘Why don’t you go sit in Raha’s room, Papa?’ But I didn’t want to disturb it — it felt like a nursery school, almost like a temple. I said, ‘No, no, the old man doesn’t belong there.’”
He added with admiration: “That’s what the new-age heroines are like — they’re working, they’re parenting, they’re attending Gucci events with their babies in tow.”
Balancing love and lessons
The anecdotes show the deep bonds within the Bhatt–Kapoor household, where three generations interact with affection, humour, and life lessons. For Mahesh Bhatt, speaking in Hindi is a way to bring cultural grounding into Raha’s upbringing, while Alia’s quick wit highlights her ability to balance respect for her father with her own playful personality.
As Raha grows up amid immense love from her grandparents and parents alike, her early years seem to reflect a blend of tradition and modernity — much like the family she belongs to.