Mumbai, February 23 – Bollywood star Alia Bhatt made a memorable debut at the 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), adding a unique "Indian touch" to her speech while presenting the award for Best Film Not in the English Language.
Held at London's Royal Festival Hall, Alia began by greeting the audience with a "Namaste."
She then stated, "This award is for a film that is not made in English."
The actress then requested, "Please don't look for subtitles just yet. I was simply saying in Hindi that the next award is for a film not made in English. Because while films can speak in countless voices, what we always celebrate is the language of cinema. And that is one that we all understand fluently. And these incredible nominees are a testament to that."
She then announced the films nominated, which included "It Was Just an Accident," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sirat," and "The Voice of Hind Rajab."
Before presenting the award, Alia was seen speaking about her daughter Raha on the red carpet.
"My true source of inspiration and magic right now is my daughter. Seeing her, she just blossoms. She is three years old now, and sometimes, when she dances to my songs, I think, 'Okay, that is life'."
Alia was among the presenters, including Bryan Cranston, Cillian Murphy, Ethan Hawke, Kate Hudson, Michael B Jordan, Sadie Sink, Alicia Vikander, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Patrick Dempsey, Riz Ahmed, and several others, according to an official release.
The Manipuri-language film "Boong," backed by Farhan Akhtar, won the prestigious Best Children's & Family Film award at the 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).
On the acting front, Alia will next be seen in "Alpha" alongside Sharvari, Anil Kapoor, and Bobby Deol. She is currently shooting for "Love And War" with Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal.
