Those who have worked with Anurag Kashyap will tell you how the filmmaker serves as a source of inspiration to them. It’s no different for Alaya F. For the actor who features in the upcoming Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat, Kashyap is God-sent — one who showed faith in her when nobody in the industry did. “Almost Pyaar was the first film I signed, even before my debut vehicle, Jawaani Jaaneman [2020]. At the time, I was facing back-to-back rejections. People would praise [my reel], but I would never hear back from them. This confused me about the industry, and made me doubt myself. But when I showed my reel to Anurag sir, he said, ‘I have a film that’s perfect for you.’ There was no more discussion; he offered me the film,” recounts Alaya.

Alaya F flanked by Karan Mehta and Anurag Kashyap at Marrakech Film Festival, where their film premiered