Birthday special: Have you watched these 5 popular Alia Bhatt movies?

Powerhouse performer Alia Bhatt turns 29 on Monday

Alia Bhatt is arguably one of the biggest and most popular names in the Hindi film industry. Bollywood's favourite 'Student' enjoys a strong fan following due to her impressive screen presence and engaging performances. The young star has acted in quite a few successful films, proving that she is a force to be reckoned with. On Monday, as Alia turns a year older, here is a look at five movies that bear testimony to her talent.

Highway (2014)

Alia played the role of an innocent young woman,who learns the true meaning of freedom after being abducted by a group of men, in the Imtiaz Ali-helmed movie. The actor delivered a restrained performance that did justice to the journey of her character. Highway had a strong cast that included Randeep Hooda, Pradeep Nagar and Arjun Malhotra.

Also read: Alia Bhatt's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' to release on July 30

Udta Punjab (2016)

The hard-hitting drama highlighted the drug menace in the Punjab and featured Alia in a role of a migrant worker, who tries to get her life together following a shocking incident. The powerhouse performer hit the right notes with her body language, making it easier for fans to relate to the reel action. Her scenes with Shahid 'Tommy' Kapoor were another highlight of Udta Pubjab. The film had a stellar cast that included Punjabi actor Diljit Dosanjh, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Satish Kaushik.

Dear Zindagi (2016)

The Gauri Shinde-directed movie is widely regarded as one of the most underrated releases of Alia's career. It featured her in the role of a confused young woman who discovers the true meaning of life because of her therapist, played by Shah Rukh Khan. It made a decent impact at the box office while impressing fans with its effective presentation.

Raazi (2018)

Raazi was an adaptation of the popular novel Calling Sehmat and revolved around the journey of a spy, played by Alia. The star delivered a realistic performance, bringing out the dilemma faced by her character. Her scenes with Vicky Kaushal clicked with the 'Gen Y' audience, adding a new dimension to the film.

Gully Boy (2019)

Gully Boy was a bit of a departure from Alia's previous films as it saw her essay as an aggressive character as opposed to a coy one. The actor rose to the occasion, hitting it out of the park with her intense performance. The Ranveer Singh-starrer was chosen as India's entry to the Academy Awards but failed to earn a nomination.