Alia Bhatt reacts as BFI curator says she should be nominated for BAFTA and Oscar awards for best actress

Alia Bhatt sent over her gratitude and love to British Film Institute’s Robin Baker after he declared that she should be nominated at the British Academy Film Awards and Oscars for her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi. The period drama, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, released in India on February 25, 2022. Sanjay has been campaigning for the Hindi film during this awards season in London, England and Los Angeles, California. (Also read: Gangubai Kathiawadi to campaign for BAFTA Awards in all categories, including Best Actress for Alia Bhatt)

On Instagram, Robin wrote, “If I was a member of BAFTA or the Academy (I’m not), this year I would be voting for Alia Bhatt as Best Actress for her performance in GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI (Sanjay Leela Bhansali, India, 2022). She plays a prostitute turned underworld brothel madam turned campaigner for sex workers’ rights, and the joy of her performance is how she grows as her character develops.” Although he is not a member of either film academy, Robin urged voters to consider Alia and nominate her.

The head curator at BFI added, “The film is big, brash, sentimental and hugely enjoyable, but Bhatt is sensational. There’s the additional pleasure of the film’s classic Hindi cinema references – from Gangubai’s love of Dev Anand to scenes of cinema-going in the 50s and 60s to the numerous film posters lining the streets around Bombay’s red light district. If you haven’t seen it (especially BAFTA and Academy Award-voting friends), please head to Netflix ASAP.” Alia re-shared Robin’s post with a series of white heart emojis.

Fans agreed with Robin as they added red heart and fire emojis on his declaration. One fan even wrote, “She is the best among all the Nepo babies of bollywood. Everything about her is perfect. The best thing that came out of nepotism, others need to learn from her. The acting, the grace she is everyone’s favorite for a reason.”

Nominations for the 76th BAFTAs will be announced on January 19; the awards ceremony will be held on February 9 in London. Meanwhile, the nominations for the 95th Academy Awards will be revealed on January 24 and the ceremony will be held on March 12.

Gangubai Kathiawadi, which also stars Ajay Devgn in a cameo, had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival a week before its Indian release. Alia recently gave birth to her first child, Raha Kapoor, on November 6. She is married to actor Ranbir Kapoor. The couple was last seen together in the fantasy adventure film Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, directed by Ayan Mukerji.