A look at Mahesh Bhatt’s top controversies

The Pooja Bhatt Magazine Cover
The magazine cover featuring Mahesh Bhatt's daughter, Pooja Bhatt, is among the most lasting controversies regarding Mahesh Bhatt. The 1990s cover, which showed Mahesh and his daughter Pooja kissing each other on the lips, generated a national controversy and discussion about ethics and family values. The filmmaker, afterwards, admitted that he would have loved to marry Pooja if she hadn't been his daughter, adding more fuel to the controversy. Since then, Pooja Bhatt has defended the photo, claiming that the public and sensationalist media misinterpreted it as an "absolutely innocent" moment.

The Parveen Babi Affair
In the late 1970s, Mahesh Bhatt and actress Parveen Babi had an extramarital affair, which became very popular. Their relationship started when he was still living with his daughter, Pooja, and his first wife, Lorraine Bright, who later converted to Islam and changed her name to Kiran Bhatt. Their relationship ended tragically after Parveen Babi, who was a well-known celebrity at that point in time, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. A number of Bhatt's films, including the semi-autobiographical Arth and Woh Lamhe, were based on this complicated affair.

The Sushant Singh Rajput Case
Bhatt became a part of the controversy after actor Sushant Singh Rajput passed away in 2020. The public and media carefully reviewed his relationship with Sushant's girlfriend, actress Rhea Chakraborty. There were rumours about Bhatt and Chakraborty's relationship after their WhatsApp messages were leaked. Though no formal charges were ever brought against him, some internet users blamed him for influencing Rhea and contributing to Sushant's death. A picture of Bhatt with actress Jiah Khan, who committed suicide in 2013, also surfaced as a result of the controversy and drew criticism from the general public.

Allegations from Kangana Ranaut
Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who made her debut in Bhatt's Gangster, has publicly criticised him. The actress claimed that Mahesh Bhatt mistreated and assaulted her. In an interview, Ranaut said that after she declined a part in his other project, he threw a slipper at her and wouldn't let her attend the screening of her own movie Woh Lamhe. She has also used harsh language against him and his family, calling him a "serial killer."

Remarks to Sushmita Sen
Sushmita Sen remembers being publicly humiliated by Bhatt while filming her debut film, Dastak. According to Sen, he scolded her in front of the whole crew, telling her that she "can't act to save her life." The actress cried and left the set, but Bhatt got involved and explained that he was attempting to generate an outburst from her in order to improve her performance. Although Sen's version of what happened is not specific to the movie business, Bhatt's methods of actor treatment and direction were criticised.

The Jiah Khan Viral Video
A video of Mahesh Bhatt with the late actress Jiah Khan went viral after the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. The video showed the two sitting close together while he held her hand, which generated a lot of criticism online. His relationship with the young actress, who was said to be 16 when the video was shot, was questioned by some. This clip sparked public discussion about his relationships with younger actresses.

"If Pooja wasn't my daughter..." Remark
During the controversy about the magazine cover featuring Pooja Bhatt, Bhatt made a highly controversial statement that, "If Pooja wasn't my daughter, I would have loved to marry her," in a public statement. Many people found this comment to be inappropriate and extremely upsetting.

Nepotism Debates
The controversy about nepotism in the Bollywood industry has also focused on Mahesh Bhatt, which was in the context of his daughter Alia Bhatt's success and other family members' roles in the movie business. People say that his children, especially Alia, have unfairly gained from their familial ties and that he has exploited his position of power to advance his family.