Alaya F is all set to make her big screen debut with Saif Ali Khan-starrer Jawaani Jaaneman, which tells the story of a privileged man-child, Amar Khanna, who gets the shock of his life when he discovers that he has a daughter from one of his long-forgotten affairs.
The trailer of the film has garnered immense appreciation for Alaya who plays an independent, a free-spirited, non-judgmental and bubbly girl that happens to be Saif's character's long lost daughter.
Even before the release of the movie, however, comparisons are being made among Alaya, the daughter of former actress Pooja Bedi, and other star kids like Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and Ananya Panday who have debuted in Bollywood only recently.
But Alaya seems unfazed by the competition. She says, "I love competition and I really hope that I'll be able to put up a good fight. I feel competition is also very important because it motivates people and makes them want to work hard. There are so many people who want to be a part of this industry, so the competition will naturally exist. And, I really admire Janhvi, Sara and Ananya and I've learned a lot by observing their work and interviews."
Interestingly, Alaya was initially reluctant to become an actor as she wanted to be a filmmaker for which she had even enrolled herself in a directing program in New York, but she eventually found her true calling-- acting.
"I'd just finished my one year of direction at New York University (NYU) at that point and I'd come back. I realised that I wanted to do acting because there was one class where we learnt how to direct actors and I just loved it. So, I went back to New York and enrolled myself at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) this time. I completed the one year course and came back but I knew that I still wasn't ready. So, I gave myself two more years after that to train. Because I don't like doing things half-heartedly," she says.
Alaya says she feels great that she is getting to do her first ever film with talented actors like Saif and Tabu.
"I'm very fortunate to have fit into this role so perfectly. It wasn't like someone said, 'Hey, we're going to tailor-make a film for you with director of your choosing.' I did a lot of auditions and tests for lots of films. I auditioned for Jawaani Jaaneman also and I'm so grateful that this is the film I landed up fitting so perfectly into because it's with Saif sir and Tabu ma'am and so many other talented people. I couldn't have even asked for anything better. I'm even happier that it's an unconventional choice. I hope to make all sorts of choices through my career-- conventional, unconventional, all of it," says the young actor.
Talking about her experience working with Saif and Tabu, Alaya says, "I was only able to give my best because I was surrounded by the people that enabled me to give my best. Everyday was so much fun. I was literally like, 'is this what shooting a movie feel like?' Everyday I came back to my room and I just felt so rewarded and content with what I have done."
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