Decades after a controversial magazine photo of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and his daughter, actor Pooja Bhatt, went viral, the topic still resurfaces in public conversations. The photo, which showed the father-daughter duo sharing a kiss on the lips, caused a media storm in the 1990s. Recently, Mahesh’s son Rahul Bhatt addressed the controversy, stating that it didn’t shake their family.
In a recent chat with Hindi Rush, Rahul recalled he was just 14 years old when the photo was published. Speaking about the incident, he said,
“Kuch farak nahi padta hai. It’s like water off a duck’s back. Humko maloom hai sach kya hai… humne bachpan se dekha hai yaar”
(“It doesn’t affect us. We know the truth… we’ve seen everything since childhood.”)
Rahul emphasized that children who grow up in film families often develop a thick skin towards public scrutiny.
“Film parivaar ke bache ya toh bohot messed up hote hain ya bohot mazboot. Logon ko lagta hai humein farak padta hai, magar nahi,”
(“Kids from film families are either deeply troubled or very strong. People think we care, but we don’t.”)
Pooja Bhatt has also previously spoken about the photo. In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, she defended the moment as “absolutely innocent,” and criticized those who misinterpret the father-daughter bond.
“Agar log baap aur beti ke rishte ko alag nazariye se dekh sakte hai toh vo kuch bhi kar sakte hai. Fir hum baat karte hai family values ki. Bahut kamal ka joke hai,”
(“If people can look at a father-daughter relationship through a distorted lens, then they’re capable of anything. And then we talk about family values? What an ironic joke that is.”)
Throughout the 1990s, Mahesh Bhatt directed several films featuring Pooja, including Daddy, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Sadak, Sir, Zakhm, and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee.
Despite the recurring controversy, the Bhatt family has remained united and unfazed, choosing to focus on their personal bond and creative contributions to Indian cinema.