Pooja Bhatt He has often spoken candidly about his unconventional family dynamics and the bond he shares with all his family members. As the eldest daughter of a filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and Kiran Bhatt, who grew up with her brother Pooja Rahul Bhatt Mahesh later before marrying the actress Sony Razdanwith whom he has Shaheen Bhatt and daughters Alia Bhatt.Pooja reflected on her father’s decision to divorce her mother once she realized that their relationship had changed. He explained that he respects her honesty rather than living a double life because of her looks.“Would I prefer a father who recognizes that he is human, that there has been a change in his affections, who leaves home to be with the woman he has met? Or would I prefer a father who stays under my mother’s roof for the benefit of society, who has 200 affairs outside, but who all maintain an air of normality and conspiracy?” Pooja asked during her chat with Vickey Lalwani.Talking about the phase when she fell in love with the late actor Mahesh Bhatt Parveen Babi In the late 1970s, Pooja said, “Because they are Mardas, they can do it. That never happened in my house. They both thought the relationship was over.” He also recalled how his parents briefly tried to reconcile after the “tragedy with Parveen,” referring to the actor’s struggles with mental health, but eventually realized the marriage could not be revived.Pooja also spoke about a memorable conversation she once shared with Soni Razdan during the shooting of Love Affair, a project inspired by the 1959 Nanavati. murder case. Although the film was never completed, Pooja recalled that Soni confessed under the stars of Ooty that she had guilt over her relationship with Mahesh Bhatt.“So I said from the bottom of my heart, ‘Son, you couldn’t break up the relationship you had together. There’s no place in a relationship that’s solid. Something was missing, someone else could come and find that place,’” recalls Pooja.Reflecting on how relationships evolve over time, she added: “Today when I look at my parents, the nature of love has changed. But they are a unit. When people ask me, ‘What’s wrong with love?’, so I tell them this is how love can be, when two people can be morally with each other… Even if the world is on one side, and you’re still wrong on my side, but you’re not there yet.”Pooja also says that she doesn’t believe there are any “bad guys” in her family’s story. “He forgave her years ago, otherwise they wouldn’t have reached where they are. Who is the bad guy? Is Soni bad? Is Parveen Babi bad? Is Mahesh Bhatt bad? Is Kiran bad, or is Lorraine Bright better?” he said, referring to his mother’s maiden name, “Is life evil? Or circumstances? Is being miserably human evil?”Reminiscing about the early days of Mahesh Bhatt’s relationship with Soni Razdan, Pooja shared that Soni was a regular presence in their home while she was working on Saaransh in 1984. She revealed that her father finally decided to openly admit the relationship instead of hiding it.“When the relationship blossomed, my father decided to give me a name and not keep it a secret. Then one night, he woke me up and told me that he is involved with Soni and that he was going to make a new home with her, and that I shouldn’t feel abandoned as a child, he would never abandon me,” said Pooja.It also addressed Mahesh Bhatt’s decision to convert to Islam before marrying Soni in 1986, which helped Kiran Bhatt avoid divorce. “He would never leave my mother. One thing I know about my father, once he grabs your hands, whoever you are, he doesn’t let go. That applies to the women in his life, the people he’s worked with and the people he’s trained and initiated. He’s there. He’s reliable,” she said.
What do you think is the biggest factor in maintaining family ties despite the challenges?
At the same time, Pooja admitted that the separation took a toll on her mother. “Relationships don’t end well. I saw my mother’s pain happening again,” he admitted. However, Kiran Bhatt praised her for maintaining her dignity in the whole situation and not letting the child get caught in the middle.“They have always maintained decorum and grace with each other. They have never pitted the children against each other. In fact, there have been times when I have fought against my mother and my father has stood up for him. “Listen, please, don’t ever think about where my priorities are” (laughs). So they’ve always been very strong for me. My dad moved in, but that’s really a matter of geography,” she shared.Pooja also revealed that her relationship with Soni Razdan has become much stronger over the years and that she has a close relationship with her sisters Shaheen and Alia Bhatt, who she considers her extended family.“When Shaheen was born, the first person my father called was my mother. And I’ll never forget the moment my mother came to me and said, ‘Hey, you have a sister now.’ So naturally she became what she is now,” Pooja concluded.
