Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, May 28: Actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has spoken candidly about her family’s personal journey, revealing how actress Soni Razdan once admitted feeling “very guilty” about her relationship with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt.

In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Pooja reflected on her parents’ separation, Mahesh Bhatt’s relationship with late actress Parveen Babi, and how the family gradually dealt with emotional complexities with maturity and understanding.

Speaking about her parents’ relationship, Pooja said the love story portrayed in the film Aashiqui was inspired by the romance between Mahesh Bhatt and her mother Kiran Bhatt.

She recalled that although her parents tried to save their marriage, the relationship eventually reached a point where it could not continue.

Pooja said relationships do not always have “fairy-tale endings” and admitted that accepting this reality was emotionally difficult.

Recalling a conversation with Soni Razdan in Coonoor, Pooja revealed that Soni had expressed guilt over the breakdown of Mahesh Bhatt’s marriage.

However, Pooja said she reassured Soni that no outsider could destroy a relationship unless cracks already existed within it.

Reflecting on the family’s emotional evolution over the years, Pooja said her parents always maintained dignity and grace towards each other despite separating.

She shared that Mahesh Bhatt still shares a cordial relationship with Kiran Bhatt, recalling a recent incident where her mother prepared poha for him during a visit to her home.

Pooja also revealed that her mother was deeply moved while reading Mahesh Bhatt’s book The Ashes Are Warm, particularly the portions related to actress Parveen Babi.

According to Pooja, her mother later told Mahesh Bhatt that she realised “there are no villains in life”.

The actor further recalled that Mahesh Bhatt had personally informed her about his relationship with Soni Razdan before the news became public.

“He told me he had met someone and would be moving out, but assured me he would always be there for me,” Pooja said.

She added that she appreciated hearing the truth directly from her father rather than through gossip magazines or public speculation.

Pooja also shared an emotional memory from the birth of Shaheen Bhatt, revealing that Mahesh Bhatt first called Kiran Bhatt from the hospital to inform her about the arrival of their daughter.

Today, Pooja said she shares a warm bond with Soni Razdan, Shaheen Bhatt and actress Alia Bhatt.

Describing their relationship as an “extended family”, she said they continue to support one another while respecting personal space.

Pooja also fondly remembered actress Parveen Babi, recalling childhood visits to her home and describing her as warm and generous.

Rejecting the idea that she came from a “broken home”, Pooja said emotional bonds in her family remained intact despite physical separation.

“My father moving out was only geography,” she remarked, adding that many families living under one roof are emotionally more distant than hers ever was.