Sona Mohapatra backs Alia Bhatt amid hosting trolls: 'Bollywood, learn to laugh a little'

Sona Mohapatra on Alia Bhatt

Singer Sona Mohapatra has expressed her support for actress Alia Bhatt after she was trolled for her hosting skills during a recently held award ceremony. In her first attempt at hosting, Alia was seen sharing the stage with comedian Zakir Khan and actor-comedian Sunil Grover. Commenting on Alia's performance as a host, users criticised her stint, terming it overacting and cringe. Singer Sona Mohapatra has now come out in her support and urged Bollywood to laugh a little.

Sona Mohapatra on Alia Bhatt getting trolled for hosting

She was heard saying in her Instagram post, "I'm weighing in on the Alia Bhatt Screen Awards monologue, which has been all over the place and is being trolled. First things first, guys, it was live. Live means no retake, no edit, no filter, no rethink. And honestly, doing such authentic work in Bollywood is a big stunt. Most desi actors won't even pick up that mic. She gave it a shot, and that itself is amazing."

"It is brave. Secondly, let's talk about the audience. Performance is not only on stage when it's live. The audience and the room in front of you also have to perform. It's their duty. And the Bollywood room, they are dead on arrival. I know I've performed in these rooms many times; I can give you the example of the Mijwan fashion show to illustrate. Shabana Azmi ji does it to raise funds for the Mijwan weavers. And it is full of stars, designer outfits, flashbulbs. Even when they're around for a good cause, they're like dead. Their vibes there will be, ‘My outfit is better than hers,' ‘Which important actor or director's eye can I catch?' And oh my God, it's a tough, tough audience," Sona went on to add.

Sona on Alia's comparison with Zakir Khan

Addressing Alia's comparison with Zakir, the singer shared, "He's an ustad of stand-up. Try getting him to act or dance like Alia; you'll get your answer." Expressing her faith in the Jigra actress, Sona concluded, saying, "Next time, I think Alia will do even better. Or Bollywood, learn to laugh a little. It won't kill you."

Workwise, Alia is gearing up for the release of YRF Spy Universe actioner Alpha. The film is all set to release on July 10 and stars Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, and Sharvari in pivotal roles. Apart from this, she has SLB's Love and War in the pipeline.