However with Randeep Hooda stepping into the male lead in Mr Love, Alia is no longer eligible for this role. She is too young to co-star with Randeep. Pooja Bhatt who will produce Mr Love is keen to cast the newest kid on the block.
However Alia doesn't fit in to the film, specially now when Randeep Hooda (Pooja Bhatt's favourite leading man) has just been signed to play the male lead of the man whom the married woman conspires with to kill her husband.
Says Pooja, `Yes, Randeep Hooda plays Prem Ahuja the businessman whom Kawas Maneckshaw Nanavati killed. I'd love to cast Alia in Mr Love. But she's way too young. We need a woman for that role. And that too a woman of British descent. So we're looking at casting a major talent from outside India in that role. Sadly I am making four films in 2013. All of them require older girls than Alia. `
Anvita Dutt who wrote those flamboyant fiascos Kambhakt Ishq, Aladdin and Tees Maar Khan is writing Mr Love.
Pooja is still sold on casting Alia. `I really want to remake Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin with Alia. But I wonder if the original can be bettered!`
However Alia's father Mahesh Bhatt is dead-set against casting his youngest daughter.
Mahesh puts it succinctly when he says, `The narrative of Alia Bhatt will be authored by Alia Bhatt and not Mahesh Bhatt. We don't have plans to queue up outside Alia's door to sign her for any of our future projects. If we feel we have a role for her which meets her needs we'll approach her. And she'll have the prerogative to accept or reject the role. `
Mahesh is cautious in his appreciation of Alia in her debut. `I am proud of her because she has achieved this on her own. She never asked me for any help. I too stayed out of her way because I knew she was in safe hands. We cripple our kids by being over-protective. I am happy she has been appreciated in Student Of The Year. But she has miles to go. `
