Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions is bringing a new young-adult romantic comedy to Prime Video. Titled Don’t Be Shy, the Sreeti Mukerji directorial introduces Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora and Piyush Khati in lead roles. The film is set to premiere globally on September 25, 2026.
A new generation of actors is stepping into the spotlight with ** Don’t Be Shy **, an upcoming young-adult romantic comedy backed by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under their production banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.
Prime Video has announced that the film will begin streaming on September 25, 2026, giving audiences in India and international markets an opportunity to discover four relatively fresh faces in prominent roles.
Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film focuses on the emotional turbulence of young adulthood, exploring friendship, first love, heartbreak and the uncertainty that often comes with growing into oneself.
The project combines an emerging cast with experienced supporting performers, including Kunaal Roy Kapur, Anurag Basu, Neha Dhupia and Anju Alva Naik.
‘Don’t Be Shy’ Introduces Four New Leads
The most notable feature of the upcoming film is its central ensemble.
Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora and Piyush Khati take on lead roles, with the film serving as an important new chapter in their respective acting journeys.
While each performer comes from a different background, all four have already had some exposure to acting, modelling, advertising or streaming projects.
Their pairing in Don’t Be Shy places them at the centre of a story built around the experiences of young people navigating relationships and adulthood.
Who Is Aarushi Bajaj?
Aarushi Bajaj was born and raised in Pune before moving to Mumbai to pursue higher education.
She studied Liberal Arts at NMIMS, where she developed an interest in theatre and filmmaking.
Her early professional work included commercials before she moved further into acting.
Bajaj made her acting debut in 2023 with Aarya and subsequently appeared in ** Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders ** in 2025.
With Don’t Be Shy, she now takes on a lead role in a young-adult romantic comedy, offering her an opportunity to build on her earlier screen appearances.
Her background in theatre and filmmaking also gives her a creative path that extends beyond conventional commercial modelling or advertising work.
Ansh Duggal: From Modelling to Acting
Ansh Duggal began his career in modelling and advertising before moving towards music videos and acting.
His transition into acting led to his feature-film debut in ** Nakhrewaalii **, a romantic comedy produced by Aanand L Rai.
That background makes Don’t Be Shy a natural progression for Duggal, particularly given the film’s focus on youthful relationships and contemporary romance.
The Prime Video project places him alongside three other young performers, with the ensemble dynamic expected to be central to the film’s appeal.
Piyush Khati’s Journey From ‘CLASS’ to ‘Don’t Be Shy’
Among the four leads, Piyush Khati may already be familiar to streaming audiences.
The actor, who comes from Ranikhet in Uttarakhand, is best known for playing Dheeraj Kumar in Netflix’s young-adult series ** CLASS **.
He has also appeared in projects including ** Criminal Justice ** and ** Karmma Calling **, along with a role in ** Extraction **.
His experience with youth-focused streaming content makes Don’t Be Shy another significant project in his growing screen career.
Moving from an ensemble streaming series to a lead role in a romantic comedy could further establish Khati as a performer capable of working across different genres and formats.
Bianca Arora Brings Streaming Experience
Bianca Arora is another member of the new lead ensemble who already has experience in web-based productions.
Her previous credits include the 2024 series 36 Days and the 2025 show Power of Paanch.
Her casting in Don’t Be Shy gives her the opportunity to move into another prominent role while working alongside three other emerging performers.
Together, Aarushi, Ansh, Bianca and Piyush form the youthful core of the film.
A Story About Young Love and Growing Up
At its heart, Don’t Be Shy is positioned as a coming-of-age romantic comedy.
The story explores several experiences commonly associated with early adulthood, including:
- Friendship and changing relationships
- Young love
- First heartbreaks
- Emotional uncertainty
- The challenge of understanding oneself
- Growing into adulthood
That combination places the film firmly within the young-adult space, while the romantic-comedy format gives the story a lighter framework.
Rather than focusing exclusively on romance, the film appears to approach relationships as part of a broader period of personal discovery.
That is also reflected in the producers’ description of the project as a story about being young and gradually figuring out who you are.
Alia and Shaheen Bhatt Call the Film “Extremely Special”
For Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt, Don’t Be Shy represents an important project for Eternal Sunshine Productions.
In a joint statement, the sisters described the film as being special to them from the beginning.
They highlighted its exploration of friendship, first love, heartbreak and the process of finding one’s identity.
They also placed particular emphasis on the four young actors at the centre of the story.
“What excites us most is this brilliant young cast; their energy, vulnerability, and chemistry are magnetic, and they bring such life and honesty to these characters.”
The statement suggests that the chemistry between the four leads will be a major part of the film’s intended appeal.
Sreeti Mukerji Writes and Directs
The film is written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, who is responsible for shaping both the screenplay and the visual storytelling.
That makes Don’t Be Shy a director-led young-adult project supported by Eternal Sunshine Productions and Prime Video.
The film is produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt, with Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani serving as co-producers.
The combination brings together an emerging creative voice, a young ensemble cast and an established streaming platform.
Experienced Supporting Cast
While the four newcomers occupy the lead positions, Don’t Be Shy also features several established names in supporting roles.
The cast includes:
Kunaal Roy Kapur
Known for his work across Hindi films and streaming productions.
Anurag Basu
The acclaimed filmmaker also appears in the project as part of the supporting cast.
Neha Dhupia
The actor, television personality and presenter adds another familiar face to the ensemble.
Anju Alva Naik
She also features in a key supporting role.
Their presence creates a contrast between the film’s young central cast and performers with considerable experience in Indian entertainment.
Prime Video Announces the Global Premiere
Prime Video has confirmed that Don’t Be Shy will premiere exclusively on the platform on September 25, 2026.
According to Prime Video, the film will stream in Hindi with English subtitles.
The release will extend beyond India, with the platform announcing availability across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
That international distribution could give the four young actors an opportunity to reach audiences far beyond the traditional Hindi film market.
Prime Video’s Nikhil Madhok on the Film
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios India, described Don’t Be Shy as a particularly cherished project for the platform.
He said the team was excited to finally announce its global streaming premiere and expressed hope that audiences would connect with the story.
The comments position the film as a project Prime Video sees as having particular emotional resonance rather than simply another addition to its streaming catalogue.
Why the Four Newcomers Matter
The decision to build the film around four emerging actors is particularly interesting in an industry where established names frequently dominate major releases.
For a young-adult story, however, casting performers who can convincingly inhabit the emotional world of the characters can be just as important as star power.
Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora and Piyush Khati each arrive with different levels and forms of screen experience.
Their previous work spans television, streaming, advertising, modelling and feature films.
Don’t Be Shy brings those different experiences together for a single ensemble narrative.
Eternal Sunshine Productions Continues Its Young Storytelling Focus
The project also adds another title to the creative journey of Eternal Sunshine Productions, founded by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt.
The production company has positioned itself around stories with distinctive characters and contemporary themes.
Don’t Be Shy fits naturally within that approach by focusing on young people dealing with relationships, emotions and self-discovery.
The film also allows Alia and Shaheen to support a cast that does not rely on established star names for its central characters.
A New Chapter for Hindi Young-Adult Cinema
Young-adult storytelling has become increasingly visible across India’s streaming ecosystem.
Films and series aimed at younger audiences are no longer limited to conventional romance.
They increasingly explore friendship, identity, social pressure, emotional vulnerability and the transition into adulthood.
Don’t Be Shy appears to follow that broader direction.
Its romantic element provides the central emotional framework, but the film’s stated themes suggest that friendship and personal growth will be equally important.
When and Where to Watch ‘Don’t Be Shy’
Don’t Be Shy will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on September 25, 2026.
The film will be available in Hindi with English subtitles across India and more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
With Alia and Shaheen Bhatt backing the project, Sreeti Mukerji handling both writing and direction, and four young actors leading the cast, the film is shaping up as one of Prime Video’s upcoming young-adult releases to watch.
For Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora and Piyush Khati, it could also prove to be a significant introduction to a much wider streaming audience.
