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Mahesh Bhatt, who is renowned for his candor and emotional depth, recently went back to one of his most agonizing childhood experiences. He detailed a tragic event that left a lifelong scar on his heart and influenced the man he would become in a rare and intensely personal talk with his daughter, Pooja Bhatt. The son of the late filmmaker Nanabhai Bhatt narrated the heartbreaking story about being attacked by four young men on the streets of Mumbai when he was a young man.

Mahesh Bhatt said that nobody on the streets assisted him when he appeared on The Pooja Bhatt Show. "Suddenly, four elderly boys waylaid me. They grabbed me violently and pushed me against the wall. I panicked, and from the depths of my heart rose a cry asking the Gods to rescue me. But the Gods were indifferent; they remained silent," he said.

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Mahesh Bhatt went on to say that he pleaded with the boys to release him, but he was caught in the middle. The filmmaker shared, "'Pull down his pants,' one of them said. 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."

When the filmmaker threatened to narrate the incident to his father, the group of boys asked him, "Your father? Tell us, where is he now? Where does he stay? In your house? Tell us the truth and we will let you go." He quipped - "'He has gone for outdoor shooting'. But my words lacked conviction."

Mahesh Bhatt further remembered finally standing upto them, "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 on me and signalled me to go."

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All About Mahesh Bhatt's Family Dynamics

For those who don't know, Mahesh Bhatt's 1998 movie Zakhm was inspired by his mother Shirin Mohammad Ali's life. The filmmaker's daughter Pooja portrayed the role of his mother. His parents Shirin Mohammad Ali and Nanabhai Bhatt had six children including, him and Mukesh Bhatt. Later, Nanabhai married Hemlata Bhatt, with whom he had three children, one of which was screenwriter Robin Bhatt.

Mahesh Bhatt had Rahul and Pooja Bhatt from his previous marriage to Lorraine Bright. He then married Soni Razdan and had Alia and Shaheen Bhatt.