Mahesh Bhatt recounted a traumatic incident from his childhood when four young men attempted to assault him in Mumbai because of his family background. He revealed that the attackers referred to his mother as a “mistress” and tried to determine whether he was “one of them.”
Mahesh Bhatt opens up about being harassed as a child; says, “They grabbed me forcefully and shoved me against a wall”
Bhatt, the son of the late filmmaker Nanabhai Bhatt, revealed on his daughter Pooja Bhatt’s show, The Pooja Bhatt Show, that no one on the streets came forward to help him during the incident.
He recounted, “Out of nowhere, four older boys accosted me. They grabbed me forcefully and shoved me against a wall. I panicked, and from deep within, a desperate cry rose, pleading with the Gods to save me. But the Gods remained indifferent.”
Mahesh Bhatt added that he pleaded with the boys to let him go, but he found himself trapped between them.
“I was hoping against hope that some passerby would intervene and rescue me from these bullies. But ordinary life floated by, unconcerned about my anguish. ‘Pull down his pants,’ said one of them. Even before the boy could lurch forward and go for my trousers, I began to plead and push the boy’s hands back. I screamed, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ They said, ‘We want to see if you are one of us. Isn’t your mother your father’s mistress?! She is a Muslim who**, and she used to dance in cheap movies. So, why is your name Mahesh?’ I was overwhelmed. Owing to profound grief, I began crying bitterly,” confessed the 77-year-old filmmaker.
Bhatt further shared that he threatened to inform his father about them, but it had no effect. Instead, they demanded, “Tell us, where is he now? Where does he stay? In your house? Tell us the truth and we will let you go.”
He added, “I stammered and weakly said, ‘I swear he lives with us. He has gone for outdoor shooting.’ But my words lacked conviction. And then something snapped in me. Looking them in the eye, I audaciously said, ‘My father does not live with us. He lives with his wife and my other mother in Andheri.’ Strangely, the air changed, and the bearded boy eased his grip over me and signalled me to go.”
Mahesh Bhatt is the son of Nanabhai Bhatt and Shirin Mohammad Ali. Together, the couple had six children, including Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt. Later, Nanabhai Bhatt married Hemlata Bhatt, and the couple had three children, including screenwriter Robin Bhatt.
Mahesh Bhatt was first married to Lorraine Bright, with whom he had Rahul and Pooja Bhatt. He later married Soni Razdan, and the couple has two daughters, Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt.
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