Alia Bhatt is feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as she steps into the role of producer for the upcoming young-adult romantic comedy Don’t Be Shy. The film, which she has backed alongside her sister Shaheen Bhatt under their banner Eternal Sunshine Productions, marks a major milestone. It introduces four new actors and a debutant director to audiences. Speaking at the trailer launch in Mumbai on Friday, September 11, 2026, Alia shared that producing the movie has given her a kind of satisfaction she does not get from acting alone. The film is set to premiere globally on Prime Video on September 25, 2026.
Alia Bhatt on Her Nervousness and Joy as a Producer
At the trailer launch event, Alia Bhatt opened up about the emotional side of backing a project from the ground up. She admitted she is more anxious about the film’s newcomers than she ever was about her own debut. Reflecting on her own journey, she said it felt like a full-circle moment.
“Fourteen years ago I made my debut as an actor. And 14 years later, I am today introducing four new actors and a debutante director. And I’m way more nervous than they are right now.”
The actor-producer explained that while she loves being in front of the camera, her role behind the scenes brings a different kind of reward. She described the feeling as having butterflies in her stomach, but for a new reason.
“I really have butterflies in my stomach because I love being an actor and I love being in front of the camera. But it gives me another level of joy because we’ve been involved in building the world and story from the word go.”
Alia also made it clear that she never felt the urge to act in Don’t Be Shy herself. When asked if she ever thought she should have taken a role in the film, she replied simply, “No, I don’t think I ever felt that.” For her, the joy comes from nurturing new talent and watching the story come alive through fresh faces.
What Don’t Be Shy Is About
Don’t Be Shy is a coming-of-age romantic comedy that follows Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old who believes she has her entire life planned out. Her carefully mapped future takes an unexpected turn, throwing her plans into disarray. The story explores the messy reality of growing up, touching on themes of friendship, first love, heartbreak, and bad decisions.
The film’s lead character, Shy, finds herself caught in a complicated emotional web. She is torn between her feelings for Mayank, the rich and popular boy on campus, and her estranged childhood friend Dhruv. Just as she tries to make sense of her tangled emotions, a new student named Tara arrives at her college and changes everything. The trailer, which runs for 2 minutes and 32 seconds, gives a peek into this chaotic yet relatable college journey.
Alia Bhatt summed up the heart of the film in a simple social media post, describing it as a story about “first loves, best friends, heartbreaks, bad decisions, all the things that make growing up what it is.”
The New Cast and Debutant Director
Don’t Be Shy is a launchpad for fresh talent. The film introduces four newcomers in lead roles.
- Aarushi Bajaj plays the protagonist, Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das
- Ansh Duggal plays Dhruv, Shy’s estranged childhood friend
- Piyush Khati plays Mayank, the popular boy Shy is drawn to
- Bianca Arora plays Tara, the new girl who complicates Shy’s life
The film also features seasoned actors in supporting roles, including Kunaal Roy Kapur, Anurag Basu, Neha Dhupia, and Anju Alva Naik.
The movie marks the directorial debut of Sreeti Mukerji, who also wrote the screenplay. In a statement, Sreeti shared that the film came from a place of nostalgia for the movies she grew up watching. She called it her tribute to that time in life when people are on the brink of adulthood but still young in many ways.
Shaheen Bhatt on the Story’s Universal Appeal
Shaheen Bhatt, Alia’s sister and co-producer, also spoke at the launch about why the story resonated with her. She said she connected with the film’s themes of growing up and dealing with the gap between expectations and reality.
“I remember thinking how familiar it felt. I feel like we all have a certain idea of what life is going to be like when we’re growing up. You think success looks a certain way. You kind of decide who you’re going to love. But life really follows that set plan.”
Shaheen praised how the film handles that feeling. She said Don’t Be Shy takes the confusion of growing up and turns it into something messy, romantic, chaotic, fun, and ultimately hopeful.
Alia also shared a light moment from their childhood, explaining the internet term “ragebait” with a personal story. She recalled how Shaheen used to tease her as a child, telling her she was not their parents’ child and had come “free with Parle-G.” Alia joked that this was her sister “ragebaiting” her when she was just four years old.
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When and Where to Watch Don’t Be Shy
Don’t Be Shy will premiere globally on Prime Video on September 25, 2026. The film will be available in Hindi with English subtitles. It will reach audiences in India and more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, including the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
The film is co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani. This project adds to Eternal Sunshine Productions’ growing list of work. Alia and Shaheen’s banner has previously backed projects like Darlings, the series Poacher, and Alia’s 2024 film Jigra.
Also Read: Don’t Be Shy Release Date: Alia Bhatt’s New Production Arrives on Prime Video in September
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