Money matters: Alia Bhatt swears by FDs, bonds; prefers land to gold

Alia Bhatt, one of India’s highest-paid celebrities, on how money plays a role in her life.

What would you count as your first investment?
I wouldn’t know that because it’s sort of done by my chartered accountant and my mum [Soni Razdan]. I just get alerts of it – “Oh, we’ve put it in this fund or that fund”. But I think the first time I invested properly was in a fashion startup (in 2017), which was an exciting opportunity. That was purely me.


Gold, land or stocks — in which order?
Land, stocks and then, I don’t know, gold? I’ve never invested in gold, really. My home [in Juhu, Mumbai] is the first property I bought. I bought it four years ago, but it took about two years to do up.

What are the investments that you have blind faith in — FD, PPF, bonds?
FDs and bonds. Mutual funds are good — so, I’ve been told (smiles).

When you started earning, you were a teenager [19 years old]. At what point did you start understanding investing?
I still don’t understand it, but over the years, I’ve become keen to learn more. I say, “I don’t know what’s happening, but fill me in a little.” My CA does that but it’s literally all handled by my mum. I don’t even get into it, but my mother lets me know what’s happening. I’m happy this way. As long as I’m a little aware. I like to know how much I made in a year or that we’re investing this much or putting this much in charity. That’s a conversation I can have on a broader basis, but I don’t want to get into it on a day-to-day basis.



What about health insurance?
I’m pursuing that — I want a global health insurance policy since I travel so much. It’s been on my mind. I’ve heard it’s expensive, but it’s clearly important.

Do you have a pension or retirement plan?
No. (Laughs) Who’s retiring?

Can you live within a budget?
I think I can. I don’t need to, because I really don’t spend that much. My CA comes and tells me often, “Why don’t you spend more?” He knows me well.

Do you keep accounts?
No. I did in the first few months that I started living alone. I used to take hisaab from my house manager every week. But I couldn’t keep up. I mean, I’m barely there at home. So my mum does it now.

Is there a song about money that you like?
I can’t remember… Maybe [ABBA’s] ‘Money, money, money, it’s so funny, in a rich man’s world’. It’s just a famous song.

Money can’t buy happiness, but it can…
Yeah it can’t buy happiness. But it can take you places. I don’t mean metaphorically, I mean physically. Travel is the best form of luxury. It makes you feel so small. The world is so much bigger. It opens up your perspective.