Gurinder Chadha reacts on Alia Bhatt playing lead in her Disney film says, 'We had a meeting...'

• Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha denies rumours of Alia Bhatt starring in Disney musical about Indian princess
• Chadha clarifies script is still in development, dismisses reports of finalized casting
• Speculation arose after Alia Bhatt and Chadha were seen together at events

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha has responded to recent speculations surrounding Alia Bhatt being the lead choice for her upcoming Disney musical centered around an Indian princess. Chadha took to Twitter on Saturday to address the reports that surfaced, denying the claims with clarity. In a tweet alongside the headline, "Alia Bhatt to star in Gurinder Chadha’s next, backed by Disney?"

The filmmaker used cap locks to catch the attention of her X followers, and tweeted alongside the article, “This is not true. Not sure where this started. The script is still in the works. Alia and I had a meeting about another project and I attended her charity gala recently.”

Known for her acclaimed films "Bend It Like Beckham" (2002) and "Bride and Prejudice" (2004), Gurinder Chadha has been signed by Disney to direct an original musical featuring an Indian princess. The news sparked excitement among fans, especially with the potential casting of Alia Bhatt in the lead role.

A recent report by Mid-Day suggested that discussions were underway between Alia Bhatt and Gurinder Chadha regarding the Disney project. The report mentioned a meeting between the two in January this year, coinciding with Chadha's visit to India for actor Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira Khan’s wedding with Nupur Shikhare.

According to a source cited by the portal, "The two (Alia and Gurinder) have been in talks for a while. The final casting will happen only after the script is developed, but Alia is among the top casting choices." The buzz around Alia's potential involvement heightened further when Gurinder Chadha attended the actor's Hope Gala in London last month, where the two were seen together on the red carpet.