Long before “ragebait” became part of internet vocabulary, Shaheen Bhatt apparently had her own way of provoking a reaction from her younger sister.
Alia Bhatt recalled that when she was about four, Shaheen would tell her she was not actually their parents’ child. Instead, the story went, she had arrived as a free gift with a packet of Parle-G biscuits.
Alia brought up the childhood prank during promotions for Don’t Be Shy, when she and Shaheen were asked about a series of expressions associated with Gen Z and online culture.
For Alia, “ragebait” needed little explanation. She already had a family example.
‘I Came Free With Parle-G’
The conversation covered terms including “aura farming,” “breadcrumbing,” “side quest,” “brainrot” and “ragebait.”
It was the final expression that prompted Alia to revisit the story.
She said Shaheen would tease her by insisting she was not really their mother and father’s child. The younger Alia was instead told:
“I came free with Parle-G.”
Alia jokingly described her sister's behaviour as an early form of “ragebaiting” because Shaheen knew the claim would provoke her.
The comparison was playful rather than literal. Ragebait now commonly describes online material deliberately constructed to generate anger or strong reactions, often to encourage engagement. Shaheen's childhood prank obviously predated that digital usage, but the principle was familiar enough for Alia to make the connection immediately.
A Childhood Dynamic Becomes a Promotional Moment
The anecdote worked because it revealed more about the sisters than a conventional definition of internet slang could have.
Alia and Shaheen now work together professionally, including as producers, but the exchange offered a glimpse of an older sibling dynamic that began years before either entered the entertainment business.
The setting was also relevant. The sisters were promoting Don’t Be Shy, a coming-of-age project featuring newcomers Aarushi Bajaj, Piyush Khati, Bianca Arora and Ansh Duggal.
A conversation built around the language of a younger generation therefore fitted naturally with a project centred on young characters and emerging talent.
Alia Reflects on 14 Years Since Her Own Debut
The event also gave Alia reason to consider how much her role within the film industry has changed.
She made her acting debut 14 years ago with Karan Johar's Student of the Year. This time, she is on the other side of the process, helping introduce four new actors as well as a debutant director.
Alia acknowledged feeling nervous about that responsibility, saying she had “butterflies” in her stomach.
The contrast is significant. Her first major introduction to Hindi cinema came as a young performer being launched in a large production. More than a decade later, she is involved in creating that opportunity for another group of newcomers.
Production Has Added Another Dimension to Alia’s Career
Alia's involvement with Don’t Be Shy is part of a broader expansion of her work beyond acting.
At the promotional event, she spoke about the satisfaction she finds in producing and in being involved with a project while its story and creative world are still being developed.
That role differs considerably from arriving on a project primarily as a performer. It gives her and Shaheen a stake in decisions that shape a production well before audiences see the finished film.
The sisters' professional partnership makes the Parle-G story an amusing counterpoint. They may now collaborate on films, but Alia's account suggests Shaheen once had a much simpler creative pursuit: convincing her four-year-old sister that she had arrived home as part of a biscuit promotion.
