Bodyguard recalled Alia Bhatt getting scared when airport staff mobbed her.
Bodyguard Zeeshan Qureshi recalls protecting Alia Bhatt from an uncomfortable situation
In an interview with Screen, Zeeshan recalled the incident from 2014, when he used to work with Alia. He revealed that while they were travelling to a foreign location for the shoot of Student of the Year, Alia faced an uncomfortable situation at the airport. He shared that as Alia stood in a corner after completing her immigration, airport officers and staff approached her to click pictures.
“The customs officers and airport team saw that Alia Bhatt was alone, with no staff, bodyguard or manager, because we were still in the queue. Within a minute, they surrounded her with excitement, saying, ‘Ma’am, ek photo chahiye, ek photo bas (We want a picture with you)’. They all clung on to her together. Vo bechaari ekdum haath aur pair close karke khadi thi, dari hui (The poor thing stood there, all scared and uncomfortable),” he said.
He revealed that once his immigration was done, he immediately ran to her and rebuked them. “All of them were educated people, but usko daba ke khade the, gale mein aur kandhe par haath rakhne ki koshish kar rahe the (they were crowding her and trying to put their hands on her shoulders and neck for pictures). When I steered them away and rebuked them, I said that if a girl is standing alone, at least maintain some distance. She is a heroine on screen, but she is also a girl. Then, I escorted Alia properly,” he added. Zeeshan now works with Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani.
About Alia Bhatt’s upcoming films
Alia is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film Alpha. Helmed by Shiv Rawail, the film is the seventh instalment in Aditya Chopra’s YRF Spy Universe. It also stars Sharvari, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor in key roles and is scheduled to release in theatres on July 10.
She also has Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War in the pipeline, which stars Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles. The film marks Alia and Ranbir’s second collaboration after their marriage. Announced in January 2024, it was originally slated for a 2025 release, but will now hit theatres on January 21, 2027.
