'Alia Bhatt keen on backing young filmmakers as a producer': Don't Be Shy makers

Pushing novel stories isn’t Alia Bhatt’s only mantra as a producer. She is rooting for new voices too. That’s evident in her upcoming production, Don’t Be Shy. The Prime Video movie marks the directorial debut of Sreeti Mukerji, who was an associate director on Bhatt’s Brahmastra: Part One — Shiva (2022). Before this, Bhatt had also produced and starred in first-time director Jasmeet K Reen’s Darlings (2022). 
  
According to filmmaker Shujaat Saudagar, whose Chalkboard Entertainment has co-produced Don’t Be Shy, Bhatt wants to actively give a platform to new voices. “She is an intelligent woman and clued in, in terms of cinema. Having said that, she goes with her gut and backs young filmmakers. She wants to propel the next generation of filmmakers and the next level of narratives,” he said.

The college caper, which revolves around a young adult named Shy, is slated for a mid-2026 release. Co-producer Vikesh Bhutani added, “It’s a young adult film with four newcomers. We’re looking at releasing it in June or end of the second quarter.”