&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Alia Bhatt debuts on the BAFTA stage with ‘Namaskar’, wins over the internet with her Hindi | Watch")
Alia Bhatt sprinkled some Hindi on the BAFTA stage on Sunday night. Often considered as the British Oscars, the BAFTA awards honoured the best in cinema from 2025. Bhatt made her maiden appearance at the awards show and presented the Best Film Not in the English Language BAFTA.
As she walked up to the stage, Alia began with an iconic ‘Namaskar’ on stage, creating a moment for Indian cinema at the very British award ceremony.
Alia’s ‘Namaskar’ at the BAFTAs 2026
Introduced by host Alan Cumming, Bhatt appeared in a silver gown on stage 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 switching to English and introducing the nominees in the Best Film Not In English Language category.
Also read: BAFTA 2026: India's Manipuri drama Boong wins Best Children's and Family Film award, scripts history
Alia’s brief Hindi was to prove a point of course- and to celebrate cinema across languages and boundaries- beyond the English language.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How fast can the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet really fly?
)
Did China ask its people 'not to respond to aliens'? Origin of bizarre claim on social media
)
MS Dhoni-CSK Fallout? Report claims failed stake sale talks triggered rift
)
Scientists reveal the SAFEST COUNTRY when catastrophe strikes the planet
)
Serial killer on the loose in South Korea's Jeju Island? Fourth body found in three days as more than a dozen people go missing
)
2/3rd of glacier detached, collapsed: ISRO satellite images reveal what triggered Nepal floods
)
Trump once again claims without him there would be ‘no Israel right now’
)
Foreign espionage attacks against German companies surge to 37%, Bitkom report reveals
)
Blake Lively wins partial legal fee from Justin Baldoni after $8M request
)
Why is Pakistan deploying Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones near India border?
)
'OH MY GOD! We've found other agents!': Investigators discover not one or two, almost 700 OpenAI AI agents went rogue, hacked Hugging Face
)
Lunar eclipse 2026: India timings, places to see and more. August Blood moon factsheet
)
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on global outreach tour
)
Both pilots killed as training aircraft crashes in Lucknow – What we know
)
16-year-old charged with preparing terror attack on kindergarten in Norway
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How the S-400 protects itself from enemy attacks
)
Nepal floods: Over 165 dead, 400 missing; US, India, China, World Bank mobilise aid
)
India's multi-layered watch: The new surveillance war
)
5 doomsday planes spotted in US skies hours after CIA director's secret trip to Russia
)
9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to finally face trial in 2028, nearly 27 years after horrific attacks
)
Islamabad hospital fire: What we know about one of the biggest facility that housed Imran Khan
)
Workers run for life while filming Nepal flash flood: Scary new visuals emerge from Rasuwa
)
Russian military planes enter South Korean air defence zone amid rising tensions with North Korea: What's happening
)
Ron Weasley Is Back! Rupert Grint set to return to Harry Potter universe on Broadway
)
400-year-old 'vampire' grave in Poland reveals non-existent genetic lineage
)
Dolly Parton, global icon and queen of country music, dies at 80
)
Nepal flash floods: Kailash Mansarovar yatra affected, close to 400 pilgrims out of contact
)
'If he is dead, they're putting on a pretty good show': Trump casts fresh doubt over Mojtaba Khamenei's fate
)
Man arrested near US Capitol with guillotine in pickup truck: What happened?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI cockpit is painted bright turquoise green
Bhatt stressed that while films “speak in countless voices”, the true language of cinema is universal.
Which film won Best Film Not in English Language?
Alia presented the BAFTA to Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier. The film triumphed over strong contenders, including It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Sirat, and The Voice of Hind Rajab.
Alia wins the internet with her Hindi
While fans in India are used to seeing Alia speak in Hindi, especially in films, her debut at the global platform with a dash of Hindi won the internet.
Alia’s Hindi also catered to a large South-Asian population in the United Kingdom who are more than familiar with her work in Bollywood.
Fans flooded the comment section of the BAFTAs Instagram post and stated that it was a proud moment for India.
One fan wrote, "Speaking Hindi on the BAFTAs stage is an iconic move ", while another praised the idea of inclusion, "This is beautiful. Great job to all who played a role in carving out a space for true inclusion."
“Eloquence at its finest! Alia's speech left me speechless, especially that impactful Hindi intro,” wrote another fan.
One fan pointed out, “Alia looks so classy & elegant and representing us with speaking hindi”
“She speaks so softly and elegantly. She always proudly flaunts Indian culture and language internationally. First her Met Gala 2023 saree then first Gucci saree for Cannes 2025 and now this,” said another fan.
