PremiumMahesh Bhatt credits his sobriety and reformed alcoholism to THIS daughter and it’s not Alia Bhatt
The Aashique-famed director, who is also Alia Bhatt’s father, reflected upon the birth of his second-born daughter Shaheen, who navigated a path of sobriety for him
Last Updated: 12.47 PM, Feb 08, 2024
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt is often in the spotlight for controversies in the glamour industry. His blunt personality also sets off several conversations. But recently, the filmmaker shared his poignant journey with alcoholism and how his daughter Shaheen Bhatt helped him recover from addiction. The Aashique-famed director, who is also Alia Bhatt’s father, reflected upon the birth of his second-born daughter Shaheen, who navigated a path of sobriety for him. He also recalled what led to the addiction and the troubled time in a recent interview.
Mahesh Bhatt on his alcoholism
Known for his exceptional films in Hindi cinema, Mahesh Bhatt also hits headlines for his controversial relationships and personal life. The 75-year-old producer-director recently shared with Indian Express how he turned to alcohol after basking in the success of the glam Bollywood industry while dealing with a troubled marriage.
This stark contrast of success and failure in professional and personal life threw Bhatt on the edge, and he turned to alcohol as an escape. It was a time when he was basking in the critical acclaim of Anupam Kher-starrer Saraansh and also Shabana Azmi-starrer Arth in the 1980s. He was experiencing a setback in his personal life as well due to a tumultuous public affair.
Mahesh Bhatt on daughter Shaheen Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt is a proud father of three daughters: Pooja Bhatt from his first wife, Kiran Bhatt, and Shaheen and Alia Bhatt from his second wife, Soni Razdan. During a candid conversation, the veteran filmmaker opened up about his struggles with alcohol and credited his abstinence to the birth of his first-born daughter from his second wife. Reminiscing about a time when his first marriage and love affair with Soni Razdan sparked media with spiced gossip, the Sadak director narrated how he would be drenched in alcohol and that finishing a single bottle at a time was just an easy task. Despite several pleads from Razdan, he engaged with alcohol until one incident changed him forever.
Recalling the incident when Shaheen Bhatt was a newborn baby and how she refused a kiss from her drunken father, Bhatt said, “I felt I couldn’t have my newborn baby turn away from me. Life was telling me something through this child. That was grace. I gave up drinking. I never touched a drop of alcohol after that." This was the time that changed his life for the better.
The Murder franchise producer also added that his sudden turn to sobriety often shocked people, as they struggled to believe that he had left the addiction. “People would wonder, 'Oh, it is impossible; Mahesh Bhatt can’t stop drinking.’ But I did. I didn’t go to any doctors, took some pills, and went to AA. I just gave it up. Daddy was born there—the daughter who becomes the trigger for the father,” Mahesh Bhatt proudly credited to Shaheen Bhatt, who is also a popular author.
The latter often pens heartfelt social media posts for her dear father, Mahesh Bhatt, and adores his companionship for life.