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Mahesh Bhatt Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 6, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth20 September 1948

Age76 Years

BirthplaceBombay, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionFilm Director, Producer and Screenwriter

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSoni Razdan

FamilyFather - Nanabhai Bhatt; Mother - Shirin Mohammad Ali; Brother - Mukesh Bhatt; Children - Rahul, Pooja, Alia, Shaheen

Mahesh Bhatt Biography

Veteran Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has worked as a director, producer and screenwriter across decades of Hindi cinema. Known for both mainstream hits in

Early life and background

Mahesh Bhatt was born on 20 September 1948 in Bombay, Maharashtra, and grew up in Mumbai. He attended Don Bosco High School in Matunga. His father, Nanabhai Bhatt, was also a film director, and Mahesh inherited a connection to the industry through that family legacy.

Bhatt’s birth name and family background reflect an upbringing embedded in the Hindi film world. He later converted to Islam. He is married to Soni Razdan and is a father to several children, including daughters Pooja Bhatt, Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt, and a son, Rahul Bhatt. His brother is Mukesh Bhatt, with whom he has shared a long professional association.

Career

Mahesh Bhatt began his directorial career in 1974 at the age of 26 with the film Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain. Over the following decades he established himself as a filmmaker who moved between directing, producing and writing. A notable early success came in 1980 when his film Lahu Ke Do Rang, starring Shabana Azmi and Vinod Khanna, earned recognition at the Filmfare Awards.

The 1990 romantic musical Aashiqui was one of Bhatt’s biggest commercial successes, driven in large part by its widely popular soundtrack by the composer duo Nadeem–Shravan. In 1991 he launched his daughter Pooja Bhatt as a leading actress opposite Aamir Khan in Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin.

Through the 1990s Bhatt remained active as a director and television producer. His work in that period includes the feature Sir (1993) and television projects such as A Mouthful of Sky and Swabhimaan. Other films he directed in the decade include Dastak (1996), Tamanna (1997) and Zakhm (1998). Kartoos (1999) was his last film as director before he shifted primary focus to screenwriting and creating screenplays.

After 1999 Bhatt concentrated on writing screenplays for more than twenty films. Several of those projects were commercially successful, including titles such as Dushman, Raaz, Murder (2004), Gangster (2006) and Woh Lamhe (2006). He also co-owns the production company Vishesh Films with his brother Mukesh Bhatt; the company is named after Mukesh’s son, Vishesh.

Awards and recognition

Bhatt’s films and writing have earned multiple national and industry awards. He received a Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue in 1984 for Earth. In 1994 he was honored with a National Film Award Special Jury Award / Special Mention for Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke. The late 1990s were particularly decorated: Gudia won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and Tamanna won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues; Sardari Begum earned the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Urdu. Zakhm later won the Filmfare Award for Best Story and the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.

Bhatt’s screenwriting work has also been recognized with awards such as the IIFA Award and Zee Cine Award for Best Screenplay for Raaz.

Public profile

Physically, Bhatt is listed at approximately 170 cm (5 feet 7 inches) with dark brown eyes and salt-and-pepper hair. Over his career he has been a visible public figure who has spoken publicly on political and social topics. He has written books about the philosopher U.G. Krishnamurti, including a biography and an account of his final days; Bhatt was present at Krishnamurti’s bedside and took part in his cremation.

Bhatt has also contributed as a playback singer, recording the title song for the film Mr. X starring Emraan Hashmi. He maintains personal and professional relationships across the film community; his extended family links include relations to actor Emraan Hashmi and director Milan Luthria through his mother’s side.

Personal life

Mahesh Bhatt has been married to Soni Razdan. His children include Pooja Bhatt, Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt and Rahul Bhatt. He is the son of Nanabhai Bhatt and Shirin Mohammad Ali, and his brother Mukesh Bhatt is a longtime collaborator. The profile lists his religion as Islam following conversion, and his nationality as Indian.

Latest updates

By the end of the 1990s Bhatt stepped back from directing feature films and focused on screenwriting, producing and running Vishesh Films with his brother. He continued to influence Hindi cinema as a writer and producer into the 2000s, with several commercially successful screenplays to his credit.

Quick facts such as his date of birth, schooling, family members and a selection of his awards reflect a long career spanning directing, producing and writing in Indian cinema.
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Recent Work

Kartoos

Directed in 1999; his last film as director before focusing on screenwriting

1999
Raaz

Screenplay; earned IIFA and Zee Cine awards for Best Screenplay

Murder

Screenplay; commercially successful (2004)

2004
Gangster

Screenplay; commercially successful (2006)

2006
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted as director in 1974 with Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain
  2. Directed commercially successful Aashiqui (1990) with a hit soundtrack
  3. Launched daughter Pooja Bhatt in Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991)
  4. Won multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare honors
  5. Co-owner of production company Vishesh Films
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Mahesh Bhatt born?

20 September 1948

What is Mahesh Bhatt known for?

Film Director, Producer and Screenwriter

What is Mahesh Bhatt’s marital status?

Married

Who is Mahesh Bhatt married to?

Soni Razdan