Alia Bhatt trained under Pankaj Tripathi for her role in Udta Punjab?

Amid all the awards and appreciation still pouring in for her remarkable performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s biographical crime drama film Gangubai Kathiawadi, Alia Bhatt just made a dreamy debut at the coveted Met Gala red carpet wearing a pearl-studded Prabal Gurung number. Meanwhile, the award-winning actress is poised for her first Hollywood movie - Heart of Stone - starring Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan. Over the years, Alia has been a part of several critically acclaimed films, one of which included the 2016 crime drama film Udta Punjab. An interesting bit of trivia has now surfaced that Alia trained under none other than Pankaj Tripathi for her character in the movie.

Written and directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the story of Udta Punjab sheds light on youth drug abuse in the state and the various conspiracies surrounding it. The movie also starred Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh. Alia played the character of Kumari Pinky - a migrant worker from Bihar, who aspires to become a national-level hockey player, but unwittingly falls into the clutches of drug-peddlers. 

According to media reports, noted actor Pankaj Tripathi - who is known for his powerhouse performances in Gangs of Wasseypur and Mirzapur, among others - helped Alia for about a month to prepare for her role in the movie.

Apparently, Alia would meet Pankaj every day to master her body language and grasp the Jharkhandi dialect, among other things. The award-winning actress revealed that it was the only time in her career that she resorted to going “method” on herself.

Also read: Met Gala 2023: Alia Bhatt looks drop-dead gorgeous in a pearl-encrusted ball gown by Prabal Gurung for her debut

According to a report on Mid-Day, Alia abandoned her mobile phone while shooting for the film. She consumed no entertainment and focussed on spending time interacting with local youth, rather. Alia said that she wanted to prove to herself that she was “a chameleon as an actor”.