Age doesn't matter in films: Alia Bhatt

Noted filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's 19-year-old daughter Alia Bhatt, who is making her acting debut in Karan Johar's Student of the Year, says age does not matter to her.

"There are actresses who started working at a very young age. Like my sister (Pooja Bhatt) started working when she was 17. So age doesn't matter," Alia told PTI adding that she always dreamt of becoming an actress.

"I had decided to become an actress when I was much younger. It was a conscious decision. I just didn't know it would happen as soon as I finish my college," Alia said.

But Alia says she does not take a formal training in acting.

"I have no experience about films and acting. I have not done any training. So my whole stint has been a learning experience. I didn't even know the 'A' of acting," Alia said.

In Student of the Year, Alia will be seen alongside two new comers - Varun Dhawan, son of director David Dhawan, and model Siddharth Malhotra.

Both Varun and Siddharth had assisted Karan Johar during the making of My Name is Khan.

"As I had no training, it was a very new experience for me. For the first few days I was a bit nervous and would keep to myself but then eventually we all opened up and it was a lot of fun. But I must say the production house (Dharma Productions) made me feel very comfortable," Alia said.

For Alia doing a film made by her father, who has a production company Vishesh Films and has provided platforms to several actors, would have been an easy option but she chose to start her journey in films on her own.

"I had decided that I would not start off with my father's production only because it's an easier option. For this film, I had to work for it, like lose weight, prove myself, etc.

There were around 500 girls who had given the auditions along with me," Alia said.

"If it were for my father, he would not have auditioned another girl alongside me. He would have just roped me in. I wanted to learn it the hard way. I wanted to make it by myself," she said.

Releasing on October 19, Student of the Year is produced by Johar and Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment.