Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt
Bhatt in 2011
Native name	મહેશ ભટ્ટ
Born	(1948-09-20) 20 September 1948 Bombay, Maharashtra State, India
Occupation	Director, producer, screenwriter
Spouse(s)	Kiran Bhatt Soni Razdan
Children	Pooja Bhatt (b. 1972) Rahul Bhatt (b. 1982) Shaheen Bhatt (b. 1988) Alia Bhatt (b. 1993)
Relatives	See Bhatt family

Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is a film director, producer and screenwriter from India. Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed movies, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam, Sadak and Zakhm. He now produces and writes for commercial and more box office friendly films such as Jism, Murder and Woh Lamhe. He co-owns film producing company Vishesh Films with his brother Mukesh Bhatt.

Early life and family

Bhatt was born to Nanabhai Bhatt and Shirin Mohammad Ali. Bhatt's father was a Gujarati Brahmin and his mother was a Gujarati of Dawoodi Bohra background.

Among his siblings is the Indian film producer Mukesh Bhatt. Bhatt did his schooling from Don Bosco High School, Matunga. While still in school, Bhatt started summer jobs to earn money, while also making product advertisements. He was introduced to film director Raj Khosla through acquaintances. Bhatt thus started as assistant director to Khosla. Bhatt married his first wife Kiran (born Lorraine Bright) whom he had met while still a student. His romance with her was the inspiration for his film Aashiqui. Bhatt and Kiran had two children (Pooja Bhatt and Rahul Bhatt) but his marriage stumbled following the difficulties of his early career.

Bhatt later fell in love with actress Soni Razdan and married her.

Career

At the age 26 Bhatt made his debut as a director with the film Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain in 1974. His 1979 Lahu Ke Do Rang, starring Shabana Azmi and Vinod Khanna in lead roles, won two Filmfare Awards in 1980: Helen received her first Filmfare as Best Supporting Actress and Madhukar Shinde won it for Best Art Direction. The film did "above average" at the box office. He was noticed and received great critical acclaim with Arth (1982), when he turned to his personal life for inspiration but doubt persists as to whether it is an original film.

Later, he made many more films taking insights from his personal life wherein he highlighted personal narratives ranging from out-of-wedlock birth, to extramarital affair, and created critically acclaimed works such as Janam (1985) and Saaransh (1984), an exploration of an old couple's anxieties in a universe governed by arbitrary violence, (1986). A stand-out film from his earlier period is Saaransh (1984). Saaransh was entered into the 14th Moscow International Film Festival.Naam was his first piece of commercial cinema, where he proved himself to be a director capable of delivering a film that could cater to both the masses and the classes of moviegoers.The film went on to achieve a blockbuster verdict at the Indian box office. In 1987, he turned producer with the film Kabzaa under the banner, "Vishesh Films", with his brother Mukesh Bhatt. He went on to become one of the most recognised directors of the Indian film industry in the next decade, giving both art-house films such as Daddy (1989) and Swayam (1991, and launching his daughter Pooja Bhatt as a movie actress, ) — as well as commercial romantic hits like Awaargi (1990), Aashiqui (1990) and Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), in which he cast Pooja with actor Aamir Khan. He next directed Sadak (1991) which remains his highest grossing work to date either directed or produced under his Vishesh Films. He won critical acclaim for Sir (1993), which saw Pooja Bhatt acting with Naseeruddin Shah along with the hit Gumraah and Criminal (1994). In 1994 he won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award for Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993).

In 1995 he moved to television, then a newly opening medium in India. He made two TV series in 1995: the English language A Mouthful of Sky written by Ashok Banker and the popular Hindi language serial Swabhimaan scripted by writer Shobha De. He directed another TV series, Kabhie Kabhie, in 1997 which was written by Anurag Kashyap, Vinta Nanda and Kamlesh Kunti Singh. He is known to have copied many Hollywood movies into mainstream Hindi movies without even acknowledging it. For example, Fugitive was remade in Hindi as Criminal. He has many times copied portion of Hollywood movie scene and enacts into his films.

Following this, he directed dramas like Dastak (1996), the debut film of Miss Universe 1994-turned-actress Sushmita Sen, and Tamanna (1997), and tried his hand at comedy with Duplicate in 1998. Zakhm (1998) was returned to the censor board because of right-wing pressure critical of its references to the Mumbai riots of 1993.

His last film as director was Kartoos (1999). Thereafter, Bhatt retired a director and took to screenwriting, churning out stories and screenplays for over twenty films, many of which were box-office successes, like Dushman, Raaz, Murder (2004), Gangster (2006), Woh Lamhe (2006), based on the life of actress Parveen Babi, along with many more. His banner vishesh films still continues operating today as one of Indian Cinemas leading production banners. Bhatt entered into the world of theatre with his protege Imran Zahid as if now he produced three play .The Last Salute, based on Muntadhar al-Zaidi's book of the same title, a journalist investigating atrocities Trial of Errors, that opened on 29 March 2013 in Delhi. stage adaptation of Bhatt of his movie, Arth (film)., Bhatt also produced The Last Salute, a play directed by Arvind Gaur, based on Muntadhar al-Zaidi's book, starring Imran Zahid.

Other professional work

Bhatt is co-owner of film production house, Vishesh Films, with Mukesh Bhatt. He is a member of the advisory board of U.S. nonprofit TeachAIDS.

Political views

Bhatt believes the Congress party is committed to secularism. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he campaigned in a Karvan-e-Bedari (caravan of awareness) asking people to vote for Congress and defeat BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, as he believes that Mr. Modi is communal. Bhatt also criticizes communal record of Congress Party, for its role in Rajiv Gandhi Sponsored 1984 Sikh genocide. He is planning to make a film, which will address the 1984 Sikh genocide that took place in Delhi.

Bhatt's critics have accused him of spreading divisive communal polarisation.

Personal life

Bhatt is an atheist. He fell in love with Lorraine Bright and got married when he was 20 years old. Bright changed her name to Kiran Bhatt. The couple have two children, a daughter Pooja Bhatt, a former actress, now a producer, and a son Rahul Bhatt, an aspiring actor. The marriage ended when Bhatt had an affair with the glamorous actress of the 1970s, Parveen Babi. The affair did not last long. Bhatt later married Soni Razdan in 1986. The couple have two daughters, Shaheen Bhatt and Alia Bhatt. Emraan Hashmi is his nephew.

In the 1970s, he became a follower of Osho, and later found spiritual companionship and guidance with philosopher, U.G. Krishnamurti. Bhatt calls Krishnamurti his lifeline and says "Take him away, and I am empty". Bhatt in 1992 wrote Krishnamurti's biography titled U.G. Krishnamurti, A Life. Apart from this he has edited several books based on conversations with U.G. Krishnamurti. Bhatt's latest book A Taste of Life: The Last Days of U.G. Krishnamurti was published in June 2009.

Filmography

Year	Film	Director	Producer	Writer	Notes
1974	Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain	Yes
1977	Vishwasghaat	Yes
1978	Naya Daur	Yes
1979	Lahu Ke Do Rang	Yes			Won Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award Filmfare Best Art Direction
1980	Abhimanyu	Yes
1982	Arth	Yes		Yes	Won Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue Won National Film Award for Best Actress-Shabana Azmi
1984	Saaransh	Yes		Yes	Won Filmfare Award for Best Story Nominated for India's official entry – 1985 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
1985	Janam	Yes		Yes
1986	Aashiana	Yes
1986	Naam	Yes
1987	Aaj	Yes
1987	Kaash	Yes		Yes
1988	Thikaana	Yes
1988	Siyaasat	Yes
1988	Kabzaa	Yes
1989	Daddy	Yes			Won 2 Filmfare Awards National Film Award – Special Jury Award
1990	Awaargi	Yes
1990	Jurm	Yes
1990	Aashiqui	Yes			Won 4 Filmfare Awards
1991	Swayam	Yes
1991	Saathi	Yes
1991	Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin	Yes
1991	Sadak	Yes			Won Filmfare Award for Best Villain 5th highest grossing Hindi movie of the 90's decade
1992	Saatwan Aasmaan	Yes
1992	Junoon	Yes
1992	Maarg	Yes			Originally titled Prem Dharam when launched in 1988 but released as Maarg straight to video
1993	Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee	Yes			TV movie (Zee TV)
1993	Gunaah	Yes
1993	Sir	Yes
1993	Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke	Yes			Won 5 Filmfare Awards National Film Award – Special Jury Award
1993	Gumrah	Yes
1993	Tadipaar	Yes
1994	The Gentleman	Yes		Yes
1994	Naaraaz	Yes
1995	Milan	Yes
1995	Naajayaz	Yes			Nominated Filmfare Award for Best Actor
1995	Criminal	Yes			A Telugu – Hindi bilingual film
1996	Papa Kehte Hai	Yes	Yes
1996	Chaahat	Yes
1996	Dastak	Yes
1997	Tamanna	Yes		Yes
1998	Duplicate	Yes
1998	Angaaray	Yes
1998	Dushman			Yes
1999	Zakhm	Yes		Yes	Won Filmfare Best Story Award National Film Award for Best Actor and Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
1999	Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan	Yes			Originally titled Mr. Aashiq, audio released under that name as well
1999	Kartoos	Yes
1999	Sangharsh			Yes
2001	Kasoor			Yes
2001	Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar			Yes
2002	Raaz		Yes	Yes
2002	Gunaah			Yes
2003	Saaya		Yes
2003	Footpath		Yes	Yes
2003	Jism			Yes
2003	Inteha			Yes
2004	Murder		Yes
2005	Rog			Yes
2005	Zeher			Yes
2005	Nazar			Yes
2005	Kalyug		Yes
2006	Gangster		Yes	Yes	Won Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut
2006	Woh Lamhe		Yes	Yes
2009	Raaz - The Mystery Continues		Yes
2009	Tum Mile		Yes
2011	Murder 2			Yes
2012	Jism 2			Yes
2012	Raaz 3D		Yes
2013	Murder 3			Yes
2015	Hamari Adhuri Kahani		Yes	Yes
2016	Dushman	Yes

External links

• Mahesh Bhatt on Facebook
• Mahesh Bhatt on Twitter
• Mahesh Bhatt at the Internet Movie Database
• Real stories behind Mahesh Bhatt's movies by Paromita