Netflix’s upcoming special Dining With the Kapoors is set to offer viewers a rare and intimate look into the legendary Kapoor family. The show features several well-known members—including Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, and cousins Armaan and Aadar Jain—coming together for an evening of candid conversations and family moments.

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Armaan Jain Clarifies Alia Bhatt’s Absence Director Smriti Mundhra on the Challenge of Bringing the Kapoors Together What Dining With the Kapoors Promises

However, soon after the trailer dropped, fans immediately noticed a major absence: Alia Bhatt. While Saif Ali Khan appears alongside his wife Kareena, Alia, married to Ranbir Kapoor, is missing from the family gathering—leading to widespread curiosity and speculation.

Armaan Jain Clarifies Alia Bhatt’s Absence

Armaan Jain, who conceptualised the idea of the Netflix special, has now addressed why Alia could not join the dinner. Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Armaan revealed that the actress had professional duties she could not reschedule.

“She had prior commitments to shoot,” he explained, adding with a smile that, in true Kapoor fashion, “as Raj Kapoor said, work is worship.”

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Armaan—son of Rima Jain and first cousin to Kareena, Karisma, and Ranbir—developed the concept and pitched it to Netflix before the project took shape.

Director Smriti Mundhra on the Challenge of Bringing the Kapoors Together

Smriti Mundhra, known for The Romantics, directed the special and acknowledged the scheduling complexities behind assembling such a busy family.

“They are all workaholics and love what they do,” she said. “Everyone tries to be part of these family moments, but there will always be one or two members who can’t make it due to work commitments—and that is completely understandable.”