Pooja Bhatt recently shared a childhood memory on her podcast, "The Pooja Bhatt Show," involving her father, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, and her mother, Kiran Bhatt. In a candid conversation, Pooja recounted an incident where her mother locked a drunk Mahesh Bhatt on the balcony of their Silversands apartment.
Pooja vividly described the scene, recalling how her father had returned home "drunk and fumbling" one night and wandered onto the balcony. According to Pooja, this must have been a recurring nightmare for her mother, leading Kiran to lock him out with the "ocean roaring outside". Pooja remembers her father knocking and pleading, "Let me in, Kiran, Pooja," his voice echoing against the backdrop of the ocean. The memory, she said, remains stuck in her head.
As a child, Pooja attempted to open the door for her father, but her mother stopped her, explaining that his behavior was not good and that he needed to learn. Kiran told Pooja, "You cannot go and open the door, this is not good, he drinks every night, it's not good for him. He has to learn". Pooja, concerned that her father might fall, questioned her mother's decision, to which Kiran responded, "You are always on your father's side".
Pooja confessed that she sided with her father from that moment onward. She recounted a time when she had a fight with her mother and left home, only to be called by her father, who told her that her mother would always be his first choice. Despite being heartbroken, Pooja returned home.
Mahesh Bhatt, who was also present on the podcast, became emotional as he reflected on his past behavior and its impact on his children. He confessed to Pooja the lasting impact of that difficult memory on him, stating he can never get his daughter's expression out of his mind and recalled thinking of "The innocence, the largeness of a child," as he watched her reaction. He acknowledged feeling judged by Pooja at that moment. Pooja, however, consoled her father, explaining that she never judged him, understanding the complexities of their family dynamic. "I couldn't judge you because somewhere I feel a lot of children use this, being from a broken home," she said.
Mahesh Bhatt's struggles with alcohol have been well-documented. He has spoken about how the birth of his daughter Shaheen led him to quit drinking. In an interview, Mahesh Bhatt recalled an incident with his new born daughter Shaheen Bhatt which made him quit alcohol and gave him the idea of making 'Daddy' starring Pooja Bhatt and Anupam Kher. According to Bhatt, one night after Soni came home with Shaheen, he drank the whole night. The next morning, he carried her in his arms and leaned in to kiss her, but she turned away from him. This moment filled him with revulsion and he gave up drinking from that day forward.
Ironically, Pooja Bhatt also battled with alcohol addiction later in life. She eventually quit drinking with her father's support. Pooja made her debut in Hindi cinema with 'Daddy' directed by her father Mahesh Bhatt. The film revolved around a daughter helping her father in his battle with alcohol as that's the only thing keeping them away.
