Birthday Special: Mahesh Bhatt turns 75, know some unheard stories related to his life – Dainik Savera Times

Mumbai: Well-known Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt turned 75 today. Mahesh Bhatt was born on 20 September 1948 in Mumbai. His father Nanabhai Bhatt was a well-known filmmaker in the film industry. Due to the film environment at home, he also got inclined towards films and started dreaming of becoming a director. After completing his studies, he started working as an assistant to producer-director Raj Khosla.

Mahesh Bhatt started his cinema career in the year 1970 with a documentary film ‘Sankat’. After this, as a director, he directed many films like ‘Manjile Aur Bhi Hain’, ‘Vishwasghat’, ‘Lahu Ke Do Rang’, ‘Naya Daur’ and ‘Abhimanyu’ but he did not get much benefit from these films. In the year 1982, Mahesh Bhatt got the opportunity to direct the film ‘Arth’. Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda played lead roles in the film.

It is believed that through this film, Mahesh Bhatt depicted his relationship with actress Parveen Babi. The film proved to be a superhit at the ticket window. The film ‘Saaransh’, released in the year 1984, proved to be a superhit film directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film starred Anupam Kher and Rohini Hathgadi and Soni Razdan in lead roles. Mahesh Bhatt was also honored with an award at the Moscow Film Festival for his excellent screenplay in the film.

The film ‘Naam’, released in the year 1986, is counted among the important films directed by Mahesh Bhatt. Sanjay Dutt and Kumar Gaurav played important roles in this film produced by Rajendra Kumar. Although almost all the songs of this film proved to be superhit, but the song ‘Chitthi Aayi Hai Watan Se Chitthi Aayi Hai’ in the velvet voice of Pankaj Udhas still brings tears to the eyes of the listeners. Mahesh Bhatt’s cine career from the year 1986 to the year 1989. It proved to be a bad time.

During this period, his films like ‘Aaj’, ‘Kaash’, ‘Thikana’, ‘Kabja’ were released but all these films were badly rejected at the ticket window. In the year 1989, Mahesh Bhatt along with his brother Mukesh Bhatt also entered the field of film production and produced ‘Daddy’ under the banner of Vishesh Films. In the year 1991 itself, another superhit film ‘Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi’ directed by Mahesh Bhatt was released.

The story of this film starring Aamir Khan and Pooja Bhatt in the lead roles was based on the Hollywood film ‘It Happened One Night’. In the film, Pooja Bhatt and Aamir Khan won the hearts of the audience with their bubbly style and made the film a superhit. In the year 1993, Mahesh Bhatt once again got the opportunity to work with actor Aamir Khan in the film ‘Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke’ which proved to be another superhit film of his cine career. The pairing of Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla was very much liked by the audience in this film.

In the year 1995, Mahesh Bhatt also turned towards the small screen and directed Shobha De’s story ‘Swabhiman’. This serial became very popular among the audience. The film ‘Tamanna’, released in the year 1998, is counted among the important films made under the direction of Mahesh Bhatt. In the year 1998, Mahesh Bhatt’s another superhit film ‘Zakhm’ was released.

Through this film, Mahesh Bhatt had presented on the silver screen the tragedy of a family in the riots in Mumbai after the demolition of Bawri Masjid in Ayodhya. While Ajay Devgan was given the National Award for Best Actor for his excellent performance in the film, Mahesh Bhatt received the Filmfare Award for Best Story.

After the failure at the ticket window of the film ‘Kartoos’ released in 1999, Mahesh Bhatt stepped away from the field of film direction. However, he continued writing stories and screenplays for films. Mahesh Bhatt was awarded the Filmfare Award thrice in his film career. He has directed about 50 films in his four decade long cinema career.