Alia Bhatt is currently one of the most well-established actresses in Bollywood. Over the years, she has experimented with a wide variety of roles and built one of the strongest Alia Bhatt filmographies in modern Bollywood. Today, Alia Bhatt‘s hits and flops remain a fascinating topic because her career has featured everything from blockbuster entertainers to powerful, performance-driven films.
Although she was subjected to excessive trolling at one point for various reasons, Alia silenced many of her critics by choosing powerful characters and consistently delivering impressive performances, proving that she is far better than what the negativity surrounding her suggested.
Now married to Ranbir Kapoor and a mother, Alia continues to be one of Bollywood‘s biggest stars. With Alpha currently running in theatres, let’s take a look back at Alia Bhatt’s filmography and revisit the biggest milestones, successes, and setbacks that shaped her career.
1) Student of the Year (2012)
After experimenting with a lot of things with his favorite actors, Karan Johar decided to give a break to three new actors, including Alia Bhatt. The actress was presented as one of the most beautiful girls in a college, who finds herself in a love triangle due to certain circumstances. The fresh concept, the music, and the script that appealed to the youth helped it to have a long run at the box office.
Verdict: Semi-Hit
2) Highway (2014)
Although Student of the Year helped her to get recognition, Alia Bhatt vanished for some time. But she returned two years later with Imtiaz Ali’s road drama in 2014, featuring Randeep Hooda in the lead. Alia’s performance received a lot of praise. The character was well-written, as it focused on the concept of freedom for someone who is desperately searching for it. Although it was not a huge commercial success, the film marked the beginning of the performance-oriented phase of Alia Bhatt’s filmography.
Verdict: Below Average
3) 2 States (2014)
3 Idiots was proof that viewers were ready to accept perfect adaptations of Chetan Bhagat’s books. With the backing of Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala, Abhishek Varman’s romantic comedy-drama started creating headlines due to the chemistry of the lead pair, portrayed by Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor. The music was already a chartbuster, and the overall execution of the material from the book left a positive impression on everyone.
Verdict: Super-Hit
4) Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014)
Two years after sharing the screen in Student of the Year, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt joined each other once again for Shashank Khaitan’s romantic comedy. It was inspired by the cult classic, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge. The director added everything that was needed to attract the youth, including good music and a romantic story that could touch the hearts of the audience. The formula worked, and the movie had a long run at the box office.
Verdict: Hit
5) Shaandaar (2015)
After two hits, Alia Bhatt decided to experiment with a different genre. She joined Vikas Bahl for a romantic comedy that had Shahid Kapoor in the lead. The movie started trending after the promotional materials came out. The bikini look of Alia and the music, specifically Gulaabo, hinted that Alia surely has another hit on the way. However, the final result disappointed the audience as they were not satisfied with the story and screenplay.
Verdict: Flop
6) Kapoor & Sons (2016)
Shakun Batra’s family comedy drama marked the collaboration of Alia Bhatt and Siddharth Malhotra, four years after Student of the Year. Produced by Karan Johar, the film featured veterans such as Rishi Kapoor playing important roles. The concept of a family get-together, along with the music and performances, helped the film to work at the box office, while also being a recipient of a few accolades.
Verdict: Hit
7) Udta Punjab (2016)
Abhishek Chaubey’s crime drama came into the headlines when the CBFC refused to pass it without multiple cuts. But thanks to the Bombay High Court, the movie was released with one cut. While the concept received appreciation, Alia Bhatt was equally praised for her role as a migrant worker, who is abducted by some peddlers and forcibly kept at their home after she tries to sell a packet of drugs. The controversy involved with the film also helped it for a long run at the box office, specifically at the single screens.
Verdict: Average
8) Dear Zindagi (2016)
Every Bollywood actor has a dream of working with Shah Rukh Khan. Alia’s dream also came true, thanks to Gauri Shinde, who developed the concept of Dear Zindagi. While people had to wait a little bit for SRK’s entry, the conversations between the duo grabbed a lot of attention. Gauri made every conversation interesting so that the audience would not feel bored. The formula worked, and the movie survived for a long time in the theatres.
Verdict: Semi-Hit
9) Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017)
After the success of Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, a sequel was expected. However, Shashank took some time to create a perfect script. The concept shifted to more about women’s empowerment and their freedom to be able to work even if they are married. Amid this, the love story was also explored, giving both Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt enough screen space to show their potential. The hit music and powerful storytelling helped the film to have a long run at the box office.
Verdict: Super-Hit
10) Raazi (2018)
Meghna Gulzar is known for bringing realistic moments in her films. And things are expected to be outstanding when she has someone like Alia Bhatt in the lead role. Meghna opted for a story without any masala elements, where a RAW agent gets married to a family of military officers in Pakistan, aiming to send information to India. The movie brought a different side of Alia on screen. There was a new form of the actress that people never saw, eventually contributing to its success at the box office. Even today, many fans consider Raazi one of the finest performances in Alia Bhatt’s filmography.
Verdict: Super-Hit
11) Gully Boy (2019)
Rapping is a concept that has always been explored in reality shows, giving opportunities to hidden talents. Excel Entertainment decided to show the reality of the rappers and the situations in which they live, and slowly emerge as rising stars in the industry. While it was Ranveer Singh whose rapping skills were enjoyed by the audience, Alia Bhatt had an equally important role. The actress portrayed a girl who had a habit of fighting, and her “boyfriend” dialogue also went viral on social media in a brief period.
Verdict: Hit
12) Kalank (2019)
With Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala coming together after 2 States, magic was expected on the big screen. Apart from casting young actors, including Alia Bhatt, the makers also brought some veterans, such as Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Dutt, to pull audiences. While the visuals were grand, the script did not work in favour of the film. People found it long, boring, and stretched beyond a certain limit. Despite taking a big opening, it flopped at the box office.
Verdict: Flop
13) Sadak 2 (2020)
The entire world was sitting inside their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a lot of uncertainty about the reopening of theatres, a lot of movies were released on OTT platforms. Around 29 years after delivering the hit Sadak, Mahesh Bhatt decided to bring a sequel, adding some new faces. However, the content received an extremely negative response, with most of the people calling it an unnecessary follow-up.
Verdict: Not Applicable
One of the biggest turning points in Alia Bhatt’s hits and flops came after the post-pandemic phase, when she became one of the main targets of trolling and boycott campaigns.
14) Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022)
Alia Bhatt and a lot of other actors became targets of criticism for various reasons after audiences got habituated to watching movies in different languages. But Alia decided not to step back and joined Sanjay Leela Bhansali to deliver something memorable for the audience. Her character became a subject of discussion from the time the trailer was released among the audience. While initial expectations were low, people came in large numbers and made the film successful.
Verdict: Hit
15) RRR (2022)
Alia Bhatt was cast by S.S. Rajamouli for his next magnum opus a long time ago. Audiences were just waiting to see it on the big screen. The two superstars, Ram Charan and Jr. NTR, undoubtedly helped to bring the crowds, specifically at the single screens. Although Alia had a very small role on screen, she left an impression with her performance, with a few critics also saying that it somehow contributed to the progress of the storyline.
Verdict: Blockbuster
16) Darlings (2022)
The trend of releasing films on OTT that started during the pandemic has not stopped until today. Alia’s next release, where she was also a producer, came on Netflix and featured a talented star cast. The premise was simple, where a woman who has been frequently dealing with her husband’s abusive behaviour decides to take a stand and starts torturing him. The concept was loved by the audience, leading to some good views for the platform.
Verdict: Not applicable
17) Brahmastra (2022)
The movie entered development in 2011, and it continued creating headlines for the filming and release date updates. After a long wait, it finally arrived and took a big opening for certain reasons, including the hype and some controversies linked to the lead actors. Notably, it was Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt’s first film after they tied the knot, which also helped to attract the audience. But the content was not strong enough to leave a positive impression, with the bright VFX being criticized by a section of the audience. While it was not a blockbuster, it became one of the highest-grossing films.
Verdict: Hit
18) Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023)
Around 11 years after her debut film, Alia Bhatt joined the man who helped her enter the industry – Karan Johar. She was paired opposite Ranveer Singh. The movie became a topic of discussion for its casting and specifically Alia, with reports claiming that the actress will appear in multiple colourful sarees throughout the film. Karan allowed every actor to shine on screen, including Alia, whose performance as a Bengali girl was loved by the audience.
Verdict: Hit
19) Jigra (2024)
After a break of almost a year, audiences were willing to see what Alia would bring for them this time. The trailer of Vasan Bala’s film was hinting at a thrilling and entertaining experience. Many people also believed that they would get to see a new form of Alia this time. Unfortunately, the execution of the material was very underwhelming, leading to a very low opening, followed by a low figure at the end of its theatrical run.
Verdict: Disaster
20) Alpha (2026)
The casting of Alia Bhatt in a YRF Spy Universe film created a lot of excitement. The expansion of the franchise hinted that Alia will shine as a female action star on screen. The teaser and trailer created some hype. But the opening was not so big as expected. The jump that is normally witnessed by the second day also did not happen since a majority believed that Alia was completely miscast in the film. Due to a crowded release period with multiple films arriving in theatres, audiences hardly paid attention to this one.
Verdict: Flop
Although the latest chapter in Alia Bhatt’s hits and flops has included consecutive disappointments with Jigra and Alpha, it certainly does not mean that her journey has come to an end. While she may not be the ideal choice for action-oriented roles, Alia still has a lot of untapped potential that filmmakers can explore. She has repeatedly proved that drama and performance-driven films remain the biggest strength of Alia Bhatt’s filmography.
Alia continues to be one of the biggest female stars in the country, and the decent opening of Alpha once again proved her star power despite the film’s mixed reception. With Love & War scheduled to release in January 2027 and her also set to headline the sequel to Tumbbad, the actress has two major opportunities to bounce back. Both films are expected to showcase a different side of Alia and have the potential to create records at the box office, considering the filmmakers and star cast associated with them. After consecutive setbacks, all eyes will be on whether Alia can once again silence her critics and add another successful chapter to her already impressive filmography.
