Alia Bhatt defends ‘Kesariya’, claims the song dethroned ‘Pasoori’, which is one of her favourites

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s upcoming film Brahmastra has received a lot of attention lately due to its song ‘Kesariya’, which featured the much mocked phrase “love storiyan” but also for copying Pakistani band Call’s ‘Laree Chootee’. While promoting her film Darlings, Bhatt addressed the criticism and said it’s “great” that two words even got attention and claimed their song has dethroned Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s ‘Pasoori’.

On Wednesday, a panel interview with Miss Malini saw the cast of Darlings, Shefali Shah, Bhatt, Vijay Varma and director of the OTT film Jasmeet K. Reen talk about their upcoming release.

Bhatt was also asked about ‘Kesariya’ being criticised for including the phrase “love storiyan”.

“I don’t think people are having issues with the song. I think it’s great. I think it’s lovely that there is so much given to even two words in a song. I think there was so much anticipation with the song that the ones who weren’t liking those two words just wanted the song to be so perfect,” the Gangubai Kathiawadi actor said.

In her opinion, if people are having issue with it, it’s fine. She said that in a conversation with Ayan Mukerji, the director of Brahmastra, she asked if he could believe that the song itself has amassed more views than their trailer and has gotten a lot of attention.

“Like we dethroned, which I want to say very proudly, ‘Pasoori’ which is one of my favourite songs but it’s been number one for 85 days and ‘Kesariya’ went straight to number one. I proudly want to scream on the rooftop and say this because any kind of attention to a creative unit, good bad, is attention at the end of the day and it adds on people knowing more on the film that’s about to release and it just shows that they care that much.”

The mama-to-be is gearing up for the release of two films this year — Darlings and Brahmastra. The first film will release on August 5 and is being produced by Gauri Khan under her and Shah Rukh Khan’s production label Red Chillies Entertainment, Bhatt herself and Gaurav Verma. The other film, in which Bhatt shares a screen with her husband Ranbir Kapoor, will release on September 9.

She will also be seen in Jee Le Zaraa, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and her Hollywood debut in Heart of Stone alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan.