Alia Bhatt to star alongside Vicky Kaushal in Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Raazi’

Alia Bhatt, who was last seen onscreen in her Holi release, ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’ is all set to return back to the sets. Alia, who is currently enjoying a break will begin shooting for Meghna Gulzar’s next directorial, ‘Raazi’, which is based on Harinder Sikka’s novel, ‘Calling Sehmat’.

Produced by Junglee Pictures and Dharma Productions, this espionage thriller revolves around a Kashmiri girl, who is married to an army officer across the border, who provides the Indian Intelligence with invaluable information during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The film will be shot in Punjab and Kashmir in July, which will be followed by a small portion in Mumbai.

Talking about the project Meghna said, “I am trying to do something in a new space, recreating India and Pakistan of the ’70s on sets and real locations. A lot of research has gone into getting the period and dialect right. There are some action pieces too. Its work in progress with workshops and reading sessions.”

When quizzed about the title, Meghna said, “It’s only when you agree to something that you eventually end up doing it and live with the consequences. ‘Raazi’ is a synonym of ‘sehmat’ which also means agreeable.”

Co-producer, Priti Shahani, President of Junglee Pictures, added, “We are very excited with the entire team that has come together with us to tell this story. It’s the first time we are collaborating with Karan Johar who has a very keen understanding of connecting stories with the audience and brings immense creative value to storytelling. Alia has showcased her acting prowess in every film and right from start we saw her as our Sehmat. As for Meghna, it’s like homecoming for us post ‘Talvar’ and she is the perfect person to tell this story.”