Alia Bhatt has shared a glimpse into her childhood and her equation with filmmaker father Mahesh Bhatt, recalling how his larger-than-life personality often turned even ordinary moments into unforgettable memories.
The actress opened up about the memory after attending a special screening of her mother Soni Razdan’s upcoming film Om Ka Hari. While discussing family relationships and the different ways parents express affection, Alia recalled an amusing incident from her school days involving a spelling test.
According to Alia, Mahesh was never the kind of father who would simply explain something and move on. His theatrical personality meant that even a simple spelling lesson could become a dramatic performance.
And that, she said, was exactly what made the memory stick with her.
Mahesh Bhatt Turned a Spelling Lesson Into a Performance
Alia recalled being in Class 1 when she had a spelling test at school. For some reason, she was worried that she might forget the spelling of the word “the”.
Instead of simply asking her to repeat the word, Mahesh Bhatt apparently decided to make sure she would remember it in a much more dramatic way.
Alia explained that her father used an exaggerated gesture while teaching her the spelling, describing him as being almost like a “grizzly bear” during the moment. She remembered the entire incident as highly theatrical and entertaining.
The actress's recollection wasn't about a major life lesson or a dramatic family incident. It was simply a small childhood memory that stayed with her because of the unusual way her father handled it.
Years later, that little moment has become an example of how parents can leave lasting impressions through seemingly ordinary interactions.
‘My Father Is Very Theatrical’
Talking about Mahesh Bhatt, Alia described him as “very theatrical”, adding that his dramatic personality sometimes resulted in great memories.
The anecdote also offered a rare glimpse into Alia's relationship with her father away from their professional identities.
Mahesh Bhatt is known primarily for his work as a filmmaker, having directed and produced several influential Hindi films over the decades. Alia, meanwhile, has established herself as one of the prominent actors of her generation.
But in the memory she shared, none of that mattered. She was simply a school-going child worried about forgetting a basic spelling, while her filmmaker father found his own entertaining way of making sure she remembered it.
That contrast is perhaps what makes the anecdote particularly warm.
The Memory Came Up While Discussing Om Ka Hari
Alia shared the story in connection with Om Ka Hari, the upcoming film starring her mother, Soni Razdan.
The film explores the complicated relationship between a father and son, with generational differences, disagreements and unspoken emotions forming the centre of the story.
Directed by Harish Vyas, Om Ka Hari stars Anshuman Jha and Raghubir Yadav in the titular roles.
The story follows a father and his son whose relationship is marked by contrasting personalities and unresolved emotions. When Hari believes that he has only a short time left, he decides to travel to Varanasi, with his father accompanying him.
The journey gradually becomes an opportunity for the two to confront feelings that have remained unspoken.
Soni Razdan Plays a Key Role
The film is particularly personal for Alia because it features her mother, Soni Razdan.
Following the special screening, Alia spoke warmly about the film and the emotions at its centre. Her own childhood anecdote about Mahesh Bhatt naturally connected with the film's exploration of family relationships.
While Om Ka Hari focuses on a father-son relationship, Alia's memory brought attention to another kind of parent-child bond — the little moments between a father and daughter that can remain vivid long after childhood has passed.
It also showed how memories created during childhood can sometimes acquire a completely different meaning when remembered as an adult.
Alia Bhatt Childhood Memory Shows a Different Side of Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt's public image has largely been shaped by his career as a filmmaker and his outspoken personality.
Alia's story, however, presented a much more personal picture.
For a young Alia, her father's dramatic approach to teaching was not simply a quirky habit. It was something that made a basic school lesson memorable enough to remain with her years later.
The actress's description of him as “highly theatrical” also fits the image of someone who would turn even a spelling exercise into a full performance.
What could have been a forgettable moment from Class 1 instead became a family memory that Alia could recall decades later.
Om Ka Hari Explores Love Between Parents and Children
The film's central theme makes Alia's anecdote even more fitting.
Om Ka Hari explores the idea that affection between parents and children is not always expressed directly. Arguments, expectations, humour and everyday interactions can sometimes hide the deeper bond underneath.
The film attempts to examine that emotional space through the relationship between Om and Hari.
For Alia, her childhood story offered a real-life example of how love can sometimes appear in unexpected forms.
Her father wasn't giving her a conventional spelling lesson. Instead, he created an exaggerated moment that made sure she would remember the word.
Years later, it is not just the spelling that Alia remembers — it is the image of her father performing the lesson.
Soni Razdan’s Film Arrives in Theatres Soon
Om Ka Hari is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18, 2026.
As the film's release approaches, the conversation around it has naturally focused on its father-son story and emotional themes.
Alia's personal memory adds another layer to that discussion, showing how deeply family experiences can shape the way people remember their childhood.
For audiences, the anecdote may simply be a funny story about a father helping his daughter prepare for a spelling test. For Alia, however, it appears to represent something more lasting — a small example of Mahesh Bhatt's distinctive personality and the unusual ways he created memories with his daughter.
And decades later, she still remembers the lesson.
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