Sona Mohapatra slams ‘dead’ Bollywood audience, defends Alia Bhatt’s hosting debut

Actress Alia Bhatt recently stepped into a new role — hosting — at the Screen Awards held on April 5. Sharing the stage with comedian Zakir Khan and actor-comedian Sunil Grover, the Raazi star took on live hosting duties for the first time.

However, her performance drew mixed reactions online. While some viewers appreciated her effort, others criticised her delivery, calling it “overacting,” “high-pitched,” and at times “nervous.” Several users also felt that some of her jokes did not land well with the audience.

Amid the trolling, singer Sona Mohapatra shared a video defending Alia and highlighting the challenges of performing live.

“Weighing in on Alia Bhatt’s Screen Awards monologue… first things first, guys — it was live. Live means no retake, no edit, no filter,” she said.

Sona emphasised that taking on such a role itself requires courage, especially in an industry where many actors avoid live hosting altogether.

“Most desi actors won’t even pick up that mic. She gave it a shot — and that itself is amazing,” she added.

Sona didn’t just defend Alia — she also criticised the audience at Bollywood events, calling them unresponsive.

“Performance is not only on stage. The audience and the room also have to perform,” she said, adding that such crowds are often “dead on arrival.”

Drawing from her own experience, she cited events like the Mijwan fashion show, organised by Shabana Azmi, where even meaningful causes fail to evoke strong reactions from attendees.

“It’s a room full of stars, designer outfits, flashbulbs — but the energy is flat. People are more focused on appearances than engagement,” she said.

Sona also pointed out that only a handful of celebrities actively engage during live performances.

“Except for maybe someone like Ranveer Singh, who actually reacts and feels — most people are in selfie mode, not empathy mode,” she remarked.

According to her, when jokes don’t land, the issue may not always lie with the performer.

“Sometimes the problem is not in you, not in the mic — it’s in the room,” she said, addressing Alia directly.

Sona also responded to comparisons between Alia Bhatt and Zakir Khan, urging viewers to recognise the difference in their skill sets.

“He’s an ustad of stand-up. Try getting him to act or dance like Alia — you’ll get your answer,” she said.

She added that Zakir, as a comedian, was likely facing a more receptive audience compared to Alia, who was performing in front of her industry peers.

A word of encouragement for Alia

Ending on a positive note, Sona expressed confidence in Alia’s growth.

“Next time, I think Alia will do even better. Or Bollywood — learn to laugh a little. It won’t kill you,” she said.