Making a debut on the BAFTA stage, Alia Bhatt added a desi twist to the 79th edition of the British Academy Film Awards at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday. Taking to the stage as a presenter, the actor opened her speech with a warm “Namaskar” in Hindi, instantly striking a chord with fans online.

At the BAFTA 2026 ceremony, Alia took the stage to present the award for Best Film Not in the English Language. As she began her speech, the actor greeted the audience in Hindi before switching to English to explain what she had said.

“Namaskar! Agla award ek aisi film ke liye hai, jo angrezi mein nahi hai,” Alia said as she took the stage to present the award.

The Jigra actor continued, “Don’t reach for the subtitles just yet. I was only saying in Hindi that the next award is for a film not in the English language. Because while film speaks in countless voices, what we always celebrate is the language of cinema. And that one we all speak fluently. And the incredible nominees are.”

The films nominated in the category included It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sirāt and The Voice of Hind Rajab. The Sentimental Value took home the honour.