By Kavita Mistry 
In the video, shared on Alia’s official YouTube channel, the actress is seen getting ready in her hotel suite along the picturesque French Riviera. While she’s in the middle of her glam session- surrounded by her trusted team- eagle-eyed fans noticed something unusual in the background. A digital welcome message from the hotel flashes on-screen, reading “Dear Alia Kapoor,” sparking a flurry of online chatter.
The moment has led fans to speculate that Alia might have officially adopted the Kapoor surname post her marriage to Ranbir Kapoor. Though she continues to be professionally known as Alia Bhatt, the subtle detail has only added fuel to rumours that a legal name change might have quietly taken place.
However, the change remains unofficial. In an earlier interview before her wedding, Alia explained that she planned to add Kapoor to her legal documents- primarily for family unity and to avoid feeling “left out” when her daughter Raha travels- while retaining Alia Bhatt onscreen. Officials at that time made clear the alteration would apply solely to passports and personal records, not her professional identity.
The moment didn’t take long to make its way across social media, with a screengrab of the hotel’s message swiftly circulating among fan pages and other platforms. Naturally, the speculation gained momentum. One top comment summed up what many were thinking: “Must’ve taken her husband’s name and kept Bhatt for her public-facing career since she is widely known by that surname.”
While some wondered if it could’ve simply been a mix-up by the hotel, others were quick to point out that such details usually stem from formal documentation. After all, luxury hotels, especially international ones, typically go by official IDs during the check-in process. “How will a hotel in France know her husband’s surname? anyway, hotel booking is done according to your legal name on ID’s,” noted another user, adding more weight to the theory that the actor may have made the change quietly, away from the spotlight.
Regardless of the name debate, Alia’s career remains on an upward trajectory. Later this year, the Jigra actress returns in Alpha, the first female-led instalment of the YRF Spy Universe, featuring Sharvari Wagh and premiered on December 25. In March 2026, she reunites with her husband, Ranbir Kapoor, and Vicky Kaushal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum Love & War.
Whether she uses Alia Bhatt or Alia Bhatt Kapoor professionally, fans will still flock to cinemas for her performances. The name-change conversation may persist, but these slate highlights prove her star continues to shine- new name or no.
See also: Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt share their childhood memories