There is no hiding from the fact that several Bollywood actresses have been a victim of sexual harassment. Time and again Bollywood actresses have spoken up against casting couch and harassment. Previously, #MeToo movement hit the headlines which exposed some popular names from several professional fields across the country.
With feminism and women empowerment becoming the most-talked subjects, actresses in the Bollywood film industry have become more open about prevalent issues. Mallika Sherawat had recalled her past incidents on how she went through sexual harassment and casting couch incidents in Bollywood.
Mallika’s remark about sexual harassment which she faced left her ‘Murder’ director Mahesh Bhatt shocked as the actress never confessed or revealed these details to him despite sharing a great friendship with each other. Mahesh Bhatt also revealed that he was shocked to learn about the terrible experience which Mallika faced.
He also added that if he had earlier came to know about these issues faced by Mallika, then he would have surely stood up for her. Showering praise on Mallika Sherawat’s character, boldness and strength, Mahesh added that Mallika was a strong girl and also expressed his frustration and anger over such people who made her a victim of casting couch.
If reports doing the rounds are to be believed, then Mahesh Bhatt had expressed disappointment that Mallika did not share such a serious problem with him despite a great deal of camaraderie they shared.
Dark secrets of Mahesh Bhatt – Everything you need to know about him
The thing is Mahesh Bhatt never saw relationships as we see and had a different perspective to see the world and this is why his life is full of controversies. He was known to be a flashy playboy of his time. We have summed all the women were a part of Mahesh Bhatt’s controversial love life.
Lorraine Bright
First on the list is Lorraine Bright. It all started when Mahesh Bhatt stumbled upon Lorraine when he was in school. Lorraine was catholic and used to study in a Bombay-based orphanage. Both fell in love with each other. The director used to visit her at her orphanage more often than not.
Mahesh Bhatt even admitted his love for Lorraine in an interview. He said, “I would jump across the wall to meet her but, when we got caught, she had to leave the orphanage. I got her enrolled at the YWCA so that she could become a typist and fend for herself. All along, I kept working. I made ads for Dalda and Lifebuoy.”
Later on, Mahesh Bhatt married Lorraine, who then changed her name to Kiran. In fact, they were just 20 at the time of marriage. The couple had their first child, Pooja Bhatt. When Mahesh Bhatt’s career came to a low, their relationship also failed miserably.
It was when Lorraine and Mahesh parted ways. However, they never got divorced. He was also said to be having an extra-marital affair with Parveen Babi. Mahesh Bhatt also confessed, “I was married to Kiran, had a child, and was responsible for both of them. Still, my physical self was drawn to another woman.”
In one of the most controversial news from Bollywood industry, 80s Filmfare magazine published photo of Mahesh Bhatt, where he lip locked with his daughter Pooja Bhatt. The headline on the Filmfare magazine said, “If Pooja wasn’t my daughter, I’d have loved to marry her”
Parveen Babi
Parveen Babi met Mahesh Bhatt when she was at the peak of her film career. The director also lived with the actress in a live-in relationship, despite having a wife and a kid. After knowing about Parveen Babi’s mental health and mental breakdowns, Mahesh Bhatt moved to Bengaluru with her to seek medical assistance. Their relationship although lasted for just 2 good years before finally parting ways.
It was learnt that Mahesh Bhatt was the person who had claimed Parveen Babi’s dead body after she died at her apartment alone. In an interview with TOI, Mahesh Bhatt told, “The scene was scary – I got into LSD and Parveen went through a series of nervous breakdowns. I went through trauma and a hell of my own making for two and a half years.
As per the reports, she was found under mysterious circumstances in her Mumbai apartment. She was found dead in 2005 in her apartment, where the police had to break in and untimely death reportedly happened due to a natural cause or suicide.
The Indian actress was rumoured to be suffering from a disease called paranoid schizophrenia, means having delusions and hallucinations. She also doubted that people around her tried to murder her. She had also alleged legendary Amitabh Bachchan of planning to murder her.
Soni Razdan
Soni Razdan had acted in Mahesh Bhatt’s Saraansh and it was when she met the director. Soon they both fell in love with each other when the actress helped him deal with whatever he had faced his married life. Soni Razdan and Mahesh Bhatt kept their relationship a secret as the latter didn’t want any controversy this time.
When Soni Razdan’s father questioned his intentions towards his daughter, Mahesh Bhatt made it very clear that he was serious about her. He told during one of his interviews, “When I met Soni Razdan, it was like a replay in my life. Soni’s father asked me how I planned to end my ties with Kiran and I said, a “with permanence”. But I would not divorce Kiran.”
He then accepted Islam to marry Soni Razdan which allowed him to have two more wives. As Ashraf Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt had a wedding with Sakina, which is Soni’s Islamic name. Later, the couple hosted a party to announce their wedding. They are now parents to two daughters namely Shaheen Bhatt and Alia Bhatt.