Renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt earlier disclosed details about his challenging childhood and the controversial circumstances surrounding his birth. Bhatt’s revelation, where he admitted to being the illegitimate child of his parents, born to a Muslim mother and a Hindu father out of wedlock, has stirred controversy within the Bollywood community.
However, in an exclusive interview with Lehren Retro, Mahesh Bhatt’s nephew, Dharmesh Darshan, has addressed the controversy and vehemently defended the family’s reputation against the allegations.
“It was rubbish,” Darshan stated emphatically, “my father was protective of my mother, and he was genuinely outraged by these claims. Why is this coming out after 50 years? There’s very little truth to it, especially in the context of making films and money. Every truth can be distorted. Mahesh mama is my mama, my real uncle, and my mother was obsessed with him. These allegations are baseless.”
Darshan continued to challenge the allegations by highlighting the family’s strong ties to tradition and culture. He pointed out, “You have three sisters who are married in traditional homes and have children. The claims being made are unfounded. Every wedding card of every daughter had ‘Mr. and Mrs. Nana Bhai Bhatt’ inviting guests to the kanya daan ceremony. My grandfather conducted every kanya daan with great dignity. The allegations are a disservice to his memory. He was a great man, and I say this with utmost conviction.”
Mahesh Bhatt, in a previous interview with Hindustan Times, had revealed, “But I don’t know what a father really is. I never really had one. I have no worthwhile memories of my father, and thus, I have no idea of what a father’s role should be. I am the bastard child of a single Muslim mother, Shirin Mohammed Ali.”
The filmmaker further explained, “But I came into my own when I stumbled upon my autobiographical idiom, allowing me to express things the way I wanted to. It enabled me to talk about the ‘hidden’ things, the aspects of my identity that I was embarrassed about. So, all my dysfunctional relationships, beginning from my absent father, have played a role in shaping who I am today.”