Saifai controversy: Alia Bhatt regrets being politically unaware

Mumbai, Jan 22: Alia Bhatt, who was in the middle of controversy for participating in the

extravaganza in Uttar Pradesh's

village, says she genuinely feels bad for not being aware of the happenings in the state.

"I don't want to stretch this topic because it is kind of over. I would say that nobody tried to hurt anybody... we are not sadistic people. We did good cause as well. I do feel bad for not being aware. I was aware of the riots... but I was not aware of the circumstances few days prior to the event. I feel bad about that and I genuinely believe I should be more aware of the happenings," Alia said.

However, the actress feels that it was not fair to call her and other participants inhuman. "I really feel it was blown out of proportion. I don't think it was required but I don't think it was wrong either. It was just not fair to call us inhuman."

The cultural event in the ancestral village of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav saw performances by Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Alia.

The event drew criticism from media and public who slammed the state government for spending lavishly on Bollywood stars at a time when Muzaffarnagar riot victims struggling without proper rehabilitation.

Alia's father, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, had expressed regret that despite being a politically aware person, he did not stop her from attending the event.

"My father did not apologise for what I did. He apologised for the fact that being so politically aware he let this happen. I think even he could not connect the dots. He accepted the mistake," Alia said.

PTI