Mahesh Bhatt (Indian Film Director) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	Film Director, Producer, Screenwriter
Nationality	Indian
Date of Birth	20/09/1948
Age	77 years
Birthplace	Bombay, Maharashtra, India

Do you like Mahesh Bhatt?

You can vote only once.

Bio/Wiki

Controversies	Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul Bhatt has had a strained relationship with his father. He has said that if Mahesh had not treated him like a bastard child, he would probably never have become friends with David Headley, the accused in the Mumbai terror attacks. \| He criticized several Bollywood actors on a show of Koffee with Karan, calling Sanjay Leela Bhansali an overrated director and Barfi an overrated film. On the same show, he also called Kajol the most overrated actress in Bollywood and made harsh remarks about Aamir Khan. \| In the 1980s, he posed with his daughter Pooja Bhatt for a magazine cover and made a controversial remark suggesting that if Pooja were not his daughter, he would want to marry her. \| Amid the nepotism row following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, Mahesh Bhatt was criticized for allegedly calling him mentally disturbed. A National Herald article by Suhrita Sengupta stated that Bhatt had called Sushant a schizophrenic and compared the situation to Parveen Babi. The same article said Rhea Chakraborty had left Sushant on Bhatt's advice.

Controversies

Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul Bhatt has had a strained relationship with his father. He has said that if Mahesh had not treated him like a bastard child, he would probably never have become friends with David Headley, the accused in the Mumbai terror attacks. | He criticized several Bollywood actors on a show of Koffee with Karan, calling Sanjay Leela Bhansali an overrated director and Barfi an overrated film. On the same show, he also called Kajol the most overrated actress in Bollywood and made harsh remarks about Aamir Khan. | In the 1980s, he posed with his daughter Pooja Bhatt for a magazine cover and made a controversial remark suggesting that if Pooja were not his daughter, he would want to marry her. | Amid the nepotism row following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, Mahesh Bhatt was criticized for allegedly calling him mentally disturbed. A National Herald article by Suhrita Sengupta stated that Bhatt had called Sushant a schizophrenic and compared the situation to Parveen Babi. The same article said Rhea Chakraborty had left Sushant on Bhatt's advice.

Physical Stats & More

Height	170 cm (5’ 7”)
Eye Color	Dark Brown
Hair Color	Salt & Pepper, Semi Bald

Educational Qualification(s)

School	Don Bosco High School, Matunga, Mumbai

Personal Life

Religion	Islam (Converted)

Family

Father	Nanabhai Bhatt
Mother	Shirin Mohammad Ali
Brother	Mukesh Bhatt
Spouse	Soni Razdan
Children	Son: Rahul Bhatt, Daughters: Pooja Bhatt, Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt
Former Spouse	Lorraine Bright (Kiran Bhatt)

Career

Directorial Journey	At the age of 26, he made his directorial debut with the film Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain in 1974. \| He directed Lahu Ke Do Rang, starring Shabana Azmi and Vinod Khanna, which won two Filmfare Awards in 1980. \| His film Aashiqui in 1990 was one of his biggest releases and became a major commercial success, helped by the hugely popular soundtrack by Nadeem-Shravan. \| Pooja Bhatt, his daughter, was launched by him in 1991 as a lead actress opposite Aamir Khan in Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin. \| From 1990 until 1999, he directed many films and TV series such as Sir (1993), A Mouthful of Sky, Swabhimaan, Dastak (1996), Tamanna (1997), and Zakhm (1998). \| In 1999, he directed his last film, Kartoos, and thereafter focused on screenwriting and screenplays for over twenty films, many of which were box-office successes, including Dushman, Raaz, Murder (2004), Gangster (2006), and Woh Lamhe (2006). \| He co-founded Vishesh Films with his brother Mukesh Bhatt.
Awards & Nominations	Awards won in 1984 Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue for Earth Movie Awards won in 1994 National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) for Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke Awards won in 1997 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi for Gudia National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for Tamanna National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Urdu for Sardari Begum Awards won in 1999 Filmfare Award for Best Story for Zakhma Awards won in 2000 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for Zakhma Awards won in 2003 IIFA Award for Best Screenplay for Raaz Zee Cine Award for Best Screenplay for Raaz

Directorial Journey

At the age of 26, he made his directorial debut with the film Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain in 1974. | He directed Lahu Ke Do Rang, starring Shabana Azmi and Vinod Khanna, which won two Filmfare Awards in 1980. | His film Aashiqui in 1990 was one of his biggest releases and became a major commercial success, helped by the hugely popular soundtrack by Nadeem-Shravan. | Pooja Bhatt, his daughter, was launched by him in 1991 as a lead actress opposite Aamir Khan in Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin. | From 1990 until 1999, he directed many films and TV series such as Sir (1993), A Mouthful of Sky, Swabhimaan, Dastak (1996), Tamanna (1997), and Zakhm (1998). | In 1999, he directed his last film, Kartoos, and thereafter focused on screenwriting and screenplays for over twenty films, many of which were box-office successes, including Dushman, Raaz, Murder (2004), Gangster (2006), and Woh Lamhe (2006). | He co-founded Vishesh Films with his brother Mukesh Bhatt.

Awards & Nominations

Awards won in 1984 Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue for Earth Movie Awards won in 1994 National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) for Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke Awards won in 1997 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi for Gudia National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for Tamanna National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Urdu for Sardari Begum Awards won in 1999 Filmfare Award for Best Story for Zakhma Awards won in 2000 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for Zakhma Awards won in 2003 IIFA Award for Best Screenplay for Raaz Zee Cine Award for Best Screenplay for Raaz

Favourites

Actor	Jeffrey Tambor
Sport	Cricket

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Mahesh Bhatt comes from a lineage of filmmakers, with his father, Nanabhai Bhatt, also being a director in the industry for 40 years from 1942 to 1982.
2. One of Bhatt's notable works, "Saaransh," was India's official submission for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1985.
3. Bhatt is related to actor Emraan Hashmi and director Milan Luthria, as their grandmothers were sisters to his mother.
4. He co-owns the film production company Vishesh Films with his brother Mukesh Bhatt, named after Mukesh's son, Vishesh, who is a film producer.
5. An admirer of philosopher UG Krishnamurti, Bhatt wrote Krishnamurti's biography in 1992 and another book about him in 2009, being present at his passing and cremation in Italy.
6. In 2015, Bhatt made his debut as a playback singer in the movie "Mr. X," singing the title song.
7. Bhatt is known to support the Congress party as he is committed to secularism, actively campaigning for the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
8. He has criticized Narendra Modi and the Congress Party for their communal stances, especially in relation to the 1984 Sikh genocide sponsored during Rajiv Gandhi's leadership.
9. Bhatt is known to support the Congress party as he is committed to secularism, and he actively campaigned for the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Mahesh Bhatt Film Director, Producer, Screenwriter Indian Bombay, Maharashtra, India