Alia Bhatt set to headline Yash Raj Films’ spy universe: report

Bollywood star Alia Bhatt is all set to be the first woman to headline a film in leading Indian studio Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) spy universe, Variety reported on Friday.

Bhatt will play a “super agent,” in the production that will commence in 2024, added the report.

Created by producer Aditya Chopra, the spy universe comprises of the ‘Tiger’ franchise, starring Bollywood stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, who starred in ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ (2012) and ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ (2017).

It continued with ‘War’ (2019), featuring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. The latest instalment in the universe, ‘Pathaan’, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, remains the biggest Indian box-office hit of the year so far, grossing $130 million.

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The four films combined have grossed around $300 million.

The next film in the spy universe, ‘Tiger 3,’ is due to be released in November, over the Diwali holiday.

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are all set to star in ‘Tiger vs Pathaan,’ which will commence production in January 2024.

Bhatt was seen last year in ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ directed by ace director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film premiered at the Berlinale and went on to become a box office success, reaching number one in 25 countries on Netflix globally.

Another production, the South Indian film ‘RRR,’ in which she plays one of the leads, was one of the biggest Indian hits of the year and went on to win an Oscar for best original music as well as a Golden Globe.

The Netflix hit ‘Darlings’ was Bhatt’s debut as producer and Disney magnum opus ‘Brahmastra Part One: Shiva’ was a box-office success.

Bhatt will be making her Hollywood debut in ‘Heart of Stone’ with Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan for Netflix.

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“Alia will take on a mission that will push her to the edge and this gritty action film will expand the YRF spy universe further,” Variety added, quoting a trade source.

“Alia will be presented in a whole new, never-seen-before manner in this yet untitled film. Her inclusion in the YRF spy universe indicates that Aditya Chopra is leaving no audience segment out of the equation for this franchise.”

“Aditya Chopra is very bullish about Alia as an actress who can helm and start a franchise within the spy universe on her own and he will pull all stops to mount this project at a scale that will be jaw-dropping,” added Variety.

Earlier this year, Bhatt was named Global Ambassador for Italian luxury couture house Gucci. She became the first Indian to represent the brand joining fellow global ambassadors Dakota Johnson and Harry Styles.

Bhatt also made her debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) Gala this year, dressed by Nepalese-American designer Prabal Gurung.

Bhatt is the daughter of veteran Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and is married to fellow Bollywood star, Ranbir Kapoor. They got married in 2022 and have a baby daughter.