Bollywood star Alia Bhatt turned an old internet joke into one of the most viral moments of her Alpha promotions during a fan event in Jaipur. The actress, who has often been the subject of memes related to her famous “President of India” answer from years ago, responded with confidence and humor when a fan playfully brought it up in front of a packed audience.
Alia was promoting her upcoming action thriller Alpha alongside co-star Sharvari when a fan from the crowd suddenly shouted, “President of India!” Instead of ignoring the comment or appearing uncomfortable, the actress immediately smiled and delivered a witty response that won over everyone present.
“Haven’t you seen India’s Got Latent?” she replied, referring to her recent appearance on comedian Samay Raina’s hit comedy show. Her quick comeback drew laughter from the audience before she added that she already knew the correct answer and would happily say it again just to hear everyone clap.
Without hesitation, Alia confidently answered, “Droupadi Murmu,” prompting loud cheers and applause from the Jaipur crowd. Videos of the interaction quickly began circulating on social media, with fans praising the actress for embracing a joke that has followed her for more than a decade.
The moment was a clear reference to her recent appearance on India’s Got Latent Season 2. During the episode, Samay Raina had asked Alia to name her favourite Indian state. When she paused briefly before answering, the comedian jokingly interrupted her by saying, “State poocha hai, President nahi,” reviving one of Bollywood’s longest-running memes.
The joke dates back to Alia’s appearance on Koffee With Karan in 2013, where she mistakenly answered a question about the President of India. The clip quickly became one of the most talked-about moments in Indian pop culture and has continued to resurface online over the years.
However, on India’s Got Latent, Alia showed that she was more than happy to laugh at herself. When Samay challenged her to name the current President, she confidently replied, “Droupadi Murmu.” She even joked that President Murmu had personally presented her with a National Film Award before humorously asking Samay to request the President to help dismiss the legal cases surrounding his comedy show.
Fans have appreciated Alia’s willingness to embrace the meme instead of avoiding it. Many social media users commented that her self-deprecating humor and confidence made the Jaipur interaction even more memorable.
The viral moment comes just days before the release of Alpha, one of the most anticipated Bollywood films of the year. Directed by Shiv Rawail, the action thriller stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in lead roles and marks the seventh installment in the blockbuster YRF Spy Universe.
After undergoing extensive post-production work and visual effects enhancements, Alpha is finally set to release in theatres worldwide on July 3, 2026. With promotions in full swing and moments like this winning hearts online, Alia Bhatt has once again shown that sometimes the best way to silence an old joke is to laugh along with it.
