The trailer for Don’t Be Shy dropped today, and it’s giving audiences their first proper look at what Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt have been quietly building through their production house, Eternal Sunshine Productions. Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the coming-of-age rom-com follows Shyamili “Shy” Das, a 20-year-old who thinks she has her entire life figured out, until it very quickly stops going according to plan.
What makes this film particularly interesting is the casting gamble at its core. Instead of leaning on familiar names, Don’t Be Shy introduces four completely new faces in the lead roles, Aarushi Bajaj as Shy, Piyush Khati as Mayank, Bianca Arora as Tara, and Ansh Duggal as Dhruv. Kunaal Roy Kapur, Anurag Basu, Neha Dhupia and Anju Alva Naik round out the supporting cast in key roles.
Alia, who has been vocal about her excitement for this one, spoke about what drew her to the young ensemble. “What excites us most is this brilliant young cast; their energy, vulnerability, and chemistry are magnetic, and they bring such life and honesty to these characters. We can’t wait for audiences in India and around the world to meet Shy and get swept into her wonderful, chaotic world.”
In a joint statement, Alia and Shaheen also reflected on why this project holds a special place for them. “Don’t Be Shy has been extremely special to us from the very beginning, and we couldn’t be prouder to see it come to life. It captures something so honest about being young, the friendships that shape you, the first loves that change you, the heartbreaks that stay with you, and the process of gradually figuring out who you are.”
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video, echoed the sentiment, calling it “one of our most cherished films” and praising the newcomers for bringing “an incredible freshness and authenticity to their roles.”
This also marks Alia’s first feature film production collaboration with Prime Video, having previously worked with the platform as executive producer on the series Poacher. Don’t Be Shy premieres globally on Prime Video, in Hindi with English subtitles, across India and over 240 countries, on September 25.
Also Read: Don’t Be Shy Teaser: Aarushi Bajaj, Piyush Khati, Bianca Arora & Ansh Duggal Take on College Life
