Sona Mohapatra Backs Alia Bhatt Amid Trolling Over Award Show Hosting
MUMBAI — Singer Sona Mohapatra has come out in support of actor Alia Bhatt after the actress faced criticism online for her hosting performance at a recent awards ceremony, urging audiences to be more understanding of live performances.
Bhatt made her hosting debut at the event, sharing the stage with comedian Zakir Khan and actor-comedian Sunil Grover. Her performance drew mixed reactions on social media, with some users calling it “overacting,” “high-pitched,” and “nervous,” while others said certain jokes failed to connect with the audience.
Responding to the criticism, Mohapatra highlighted the challenges of performing live and praised Bhatt for taking on the role.
“I’m weighing in on the Alia Bhatt Screen Awards monologue, which has been all over the place and being trolled. First things first, guys, it was live. Live means no retake, no edit, no filter, no rethink. And honestly, doing such authentic work in Bollywood is a big stunt. Most desi actors won’t even pick up that mic. She gave it a shot and that itself is amazing,” she said in a post on Instagram.
“It is brave. Secondly, let’s talk about the audience. Performance is not only on stage when it’s live. The audience and the room in front of you also have to perform. It’s their duty. And the Bollywood room, they are dead on arrival. I know I’ve performed in these rooms many times I can give you the example of the Mijwan fashion show to illustrate. Shabana Azmi ji does it to raise funds for the Mijwan weavers. And it is full of stars, designer outfits, flashbulbs. Even when they’re around for a good cause, they’re like dead. Their vibes there will be, ‘My outfit is better than hers’, ‘Which important actor, director’s eye can I catch?’ And oh my God, it’s a tough, tough audience,” she added.
Addressing comparisons between Bhatt and co-host Zakir Khan, Mohapatra said the comedian’s expertise lies in stand-up performance.
“He’s an ustad of stand-up. Try getting him to act or dance like Alia, you’ll get your answer. Or importantly, he was facing a Bollywood audience, not their direct competition. So they would have been even kinder to him,” she said.
Expressing confidence in Bhatt’s abilities, Mohapatra said the actor would improve with experience and called on audiences to be more supportive.
“Next time, I think Alia will do even better. Or Bollywood, learn to laugh a little. It won’t kill you,” she said. (Source: IANS)
