Alia Bhatt added a quiet but striking Indian touch to the BAFTA stage on Sunday night. Often called the British Oscars, the awards honoured the best in cinema from 2025, and marked the Gangubai Kathiawadi actress’s first appearance at the ceremony. She stepped up to present the Best Film Not in the English Language award, but it was the way she began that stood out.
Walking onto the stage, she opened with a simple ‘Namaskar’. The gesture was small, but it landed.
Alia Bhatt presented in a mix of Hindi and English at BAFTA 2026
Introduced by host Alan Cumming, Alia Bhatt walked onto the stage, dazzling in a silver gown, and greeted the audience with “Namaskar” before adding, “Agla award ek aise film ke liye hain, jo angrezi me nahi hai.” (Next award is for a film that is not in English). She cheekily followed it up with, “Don’t reach for the subtitles just yet,” before moving into English to introduce the nominees in the Best Film Not In English Language category.
As Bhatt further put it, films “speak in countless voices”, and yet the language of cinema itself remains universal. The video was also posted on BAFTA’s official Instagram page with the caption: “Alia Bhatt sprinkles in some Hindi as she introduces the BAFTA for Film Not In The English Language.” Watch the video here:
Which film won Best Film Not in English Language?
Alia Bhatt then presented the BAFTA to Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier. The film won over It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Sirat, and The Voice of Hind Rajab.
How did the internet react to Alia Bhatt speaking in Hindi on the stage?
Online, the moment quickly picked up attention. Taking to the comment section of Alia’s speech on BAFTA’s Instagram page, fans wrote, “So proud of her”, “Speaking Hindi on the BAFTAs stage is an iconic move”, “Sooooo proud of Alia”, “You go girl!”, “Queen is making me proud”, “The representation we need!”, “She is something else that AURA!”, “Alia looks so classy & elegant and representing us with speaking Hindi.”
On the work front, Alia Bhatt will be next seen in Alpha and Love and War.
Also read: BAFTA Film Awards 2026: Alia Bhatt turns heads in backless shimmering Gucci gown | See pics
