Pooja Bhatt

Last updated

Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt at completion bash of Paltan.jpg
Bhatt in 2018
Born (1972-02-24) 24 February 1972 (age 52)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
  • director
Years active1989–present
Spouse
(m. 2003;div. 2014)
Parent
RelativesSee Bhatt family

Pooja Bhatt (born 24 February 1972) is an Indian film director, actress, voice-over artist and filmmaker. [1] She established herself as one of the leading actresses of Hindi cinema from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two National Film Awards and one Filmfare Awards.

Contents

Born into the Bhatt family, she is the daughter of Indian filmmaker, Mahesh Bhatt. Bhatt played her first leading role in Mahesh Bhatt's television film Daddy in 1989. For the film, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Her breakthrough came with the romance comedy Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), which also emerged as her highest grossing release. She was a part of Bigg Boss OTT 2 , where she emerged as the 4th runner up.

Personal life

Pooja Bhatt was born on 24 February 1972 [2] to Mahesh Bhatt and Kiran Bhatt (born Loraine Bright). [3] On her father's side, Bhatt is of Gujarati descent and on her mother's side, she is of English, Scottish, Armenian, and Burmese ancestry. [3] [4] [5] [6] She is the step-daughter of Soni Razdan. She has a brother, Rahul Bhatt and half-sisters Shaheen Bhatt and Alia Bhatt. [4] Her cousins are Hitarth Bhat and Emraan Hashmi. [7]

Bhatt married restaurateur Manish Makhija in 2003, they divorced in 2014. [8] [9]

Career

Early success (1989-1990)

Bhatt made her acting debut at age 17, in 1989 with Daddy , a TV film directed by her father Mahesh Bhatt. In the film, she portrayed a soul-searching teenage girl in an estranged relationship with her alcoholic father, played by actor Anupam Kher. Her performance in the film earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

Her biggest solo hit and her big screen debut came with the romantic comedy Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991) opposite Aamir Khan, [4] which was a remake of the Oscar-winning Hollywood classic It Happened One Night (1934). The film proved to be a breakthrough for Bhatt, post which she also appeared in many bold shoots like Stardust. [10]

Established actress (1990-1998)

Her most well-known films in the 1990s included Sadak [4] opposite Sanjay Dutt (1991), The film is one of the highest-grossing movies of the year 1991. [11] The film was inspired by the 1976 American film Taxi Driver . [12] Then she was cast in Junoon , Jaanam , and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee opposite Rahul Roy, her chemistry with Roy was widely appreciated by Critics. After starring in many hit movies, she did many films including, Sir (1993) and Guneghar (1995) opposite Atul Agnihotri, Tadipaar (1993) and Naaraaz (1994) opposite Mithun Chakraborty, Hum Dono opposite Rishi Kapoor, Angrakshak opposite Sunny Deol (1995). Then in (1996) Bhatt, stars in Chaahat opposite Shah Rukh Khan, which was a critical and commercial successful.

She next starred as an abandoned girl in the thriller film Tamanna , which marked her first production venture under her Pooja Bhatt Productions. It also won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. Bhatt began 1997 with a role in Jyoti Prakash Dutta’s ensemble drama Border , the film was released worldwide on 13 June 1997 with positive reviews from critics and garnered critical acclaim for its story, execution, scale, showing off the battle, direction, screenplay, performances and soundtrack. [13] It opened to strong box office results, had a final domestic net total of 394 million (US$4.7 million) and was declared an all-time blockbuster by Box Office India. It also became the highest-grossing Hindi film of 1997 in India, but if according to worldwide, it was the second highest-grossing film of the year behind Dil To Pagal Hai . Border grossed a worldwide total of ₹655.7 million and it was the fourth biggest blockbuster film of the 90s decade. [14]

Bhatt gained further success in (1998) with the film Zakhm , opposite Ajay Devgan, which won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. Zakhm was based on the life of Mahesh Bhatt's mother Shirin Mohammad Ali, while she essayed her character in this film. [15] [16] [17] The performance of Bhatt was well received, for which she received a Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics) nomination.

Bhatt (right) with her father Mahesh Bhatt and actress Mallika Sherawat in 2004. Mallika Sherawat Mahesh Bhatt Pooja Bhatt still4.jpg
Bhatt (right) with her father Mahesh Bhatt and actress Mallika Sherawat in 2004.

Her last film appearance was in the Romantic film Sanam Teri Kasam in 2009, opposite Saif Ali Khan and Atul Agnihotri.

From 2003 to 2012, she focused on producing and directing. She made her directorial debut with Paap in 2004, starring John Abraham and Udita Goswami. Since then, she has made four more directorial ventures: Holiday (2006), Dhokha (2007), Kajraare (2010) and Jism 2 (2012). [4]

In 2020, Bhatt returned to acting with Sadak 2 , a sequel to the hit 1991 film. Her father returned to directing with this film after 20 years, while her half-sister Alia Bhatt also co-starred alongside her. [18] It was released on 28 August 2020 on the streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar. [19]

In 2021, Bhatt made her web series debut in the Netflix series Bombay Begums . It also featured Amruta Subhash, Shahana Goswami, Plabita Borthakur, Aadhya Anand and Rahul Bose. [20]

In 2022, she appeared in the film Chup: Revenge of the Artist .

In 2023, she participated in the popular reality show Bigg Boss OTT 2 , where she emerged as the 4th runner up of the season.

Filmography

YearFilmProducerDirectorProduction Designer
1997 Tamanna YesNoNo
1998 Dushman YesNoNo
1998 Zakhm YesNoNo
2002 Sur: The Melody of Life YesNoNo
2003 Jism YesNoYes
2003 Paap YesYesYes
2005 Rog YesNoNo
2006 Holiday YesYesNo
2007 Dhokha NoYesNo
2010 Kajraare NoYesNo
2012 Jism 2 YesYesNo
2019 Cabaret YesNoNo

Acting roles

YearFilmRoleNote
1989 Daddy PoojaDebut film
1991 Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin Pooja Dharamchand
Sadak Pooja
1992 Prem Deewane Radha
Jaanam Anjali
Saatwan AasmanPooja Malhotra
Junoon Dr. Nita V. Chauhan
1993 Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee Pooja
Sir Pooja
Chor Aur Chaand Reema D. Seth
Pehla Nasha Monica
Tadipaar Mohinidevi/Namkeen
1994 Kranti Kshetra Pooja
Naaraaz Sonia
BoyfriendBilingual film in Hindi and Telugu
1995 Gunehgar Pooja Thakur
Hum Dono Priyanka Surendra Gupta
Angrakshak Priyanka Choudhary/Priya
1996 Kalloori Vaasal Pooja Tamil film
Chaahat Pooja
1997 Tamanna Tamanna Ali Sayed
Border Kammo
1998Yeh Aashiqui MeriAnju
Kabhi Na Kabhi Tina
Angaaray Pooja
Zakhm Mrs. Desai
2001 Everybody Says I'm Fine! Tanya
2009 Sanam Teri Kasam Seema Khanna
2020 Sadak 2 Pooja Varma
2022 Chup: Revenge of The Artist Zenobia Shroff

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2021 Bombay Begums Rani Irani
2023 Bigg Boss OTT 2 Contestant4th runner-up
2024 Bigg Boss 17 Guest
2024 Big Girls Don't Cry Anita Verna

Awards and recognitions

YearAward(s)CategoryFilm(s)Result
1991 36th Filmfare Awards Best Female Debut Daddy Won
1992 Smita Patil Memorial Award Best ActressWon
Stardust Awards Performer of the YearWon
1999 Bollywood Movie Awards Best Actress (Critics) Zakhm Won
Filmfare Awards Best Actress Critics Nominated
Screen Awards Best Actress Nominated
1999 44th National Film Awards Best Film on Other Social Issues Tamanna Won
1999 46th National Film Awards Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration Zakhm Won
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Best Actress (Hindi)Won
2004 Zee Cine Awards Best Debut Director Paap Nominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonali Bendre</span> Indian actress (born 1975)

Sonali Bendre is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi and Telugu films. She did modelling assignments prior to making her acting debut with Aag (1994), which won her the Filmfare Award for New Face of the Year. Bendre is a recipient of several accolades, including two Filmfare Awards and four Screen Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanjay Dutt</span> Indian actor (born 1959)

Sanjay Balraj Dutt is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema in addition to a few Kannada, Tamil, Punjabi and Telugu films. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 135 films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soni Razdan</span> British actress (born 1956)

Soni Mahesh Bhatt, born and known professionally as Soni Razdan, is a British actress and director who works in Indian Hindi-language films. Part of the Bhatt family of Indian cinema, she is married to film director Mahesh Bhatt and is the mother of actress Alia Bhatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahesh Bhatt</span> Indian film director, producer, screenwriter (born 1948)

Mahesh Bhatt is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. He has received several accolades, including four National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. A notable film from his earlier period is Saaransh (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film Festival. It became India's official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for that year. The 1986 film Naam was his first piece of commercial cinema. In 1987, he turned producer with the film Kabzaa under the banner, "Vishesh Films", with his brother Mukesh Bhatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rahul Roy</span> Indian actor (b. 1966)

Rahul Roy is an Indian actor, producer and former model known for his works in Hindi films and television. Roy began his acting career with the 1990 blockbuster Aashiqui, a Mahesh Bhatt production as the lead actor with newcomer Anu Aggarwal. He then appeared opposite Karishma Kapoor in Sudhakar Bokade's romantic film Sapne Sajan Ke (1992). Roy has been honoured with life membership of the International Film And Television Club of Asian Academy of Film & Television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aditya Pancholi</span> Indian film actor, producer and playback singer

Aditya Pancholi is an Indian actor, producer and playback singer working in Hindi cinema.

<i>Zakhm</i> 1998 Indian film

Zakhm (transl. Wound) is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Mahesh and Pooja Bhatt. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Kunal Khemu, Pooja Bhatt, Sonali Bendre and Nagarjuna. Zakhm was based on the life of Mahesh Bhatt's mother Shirin Mohammad Ali, while his daughter Pooja Bhatt essayed her character in this film.

<i>Sadak</i> 1991 Indian film

Sadak is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language romantic action thriller film directed by Mahesh Bhatt. It stars Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bhatt. The film is one of the highest-grossing movies of the year 1991. The film was inspired by the 1976 American film Taxi Driver. This film was remade in Tamil as Appu (2000). A sequel, Sadak 2, was released on 28 August 2020 on Disney+ Hotstar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vishesh Films</span> Indian film company

Vishesh Films is an Indian film company founded in 1986 and currently owned by Mukesh Bhatt. Vishesh Films is one of the most successful Indian film production houses. The production company is named after Vishesh Bhatt, the son of Mukesh Bhatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mukesh Bhatt</span> Film producer

Mukesh Bhatt is an Indian film producer and actor who has produced several Bollywood films. He is the younger brother of Mahesh Bhatt, and also the co-owner of the production company Vishesh Films, set up in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aditya Roy Kapur</span> Indian actor (born 1985)

Aditya Roy Kapur is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. After working as a VJ, he made his acting debut with the musical drama London Dreams (2009). Kapur had his first commercial success with the romance Aashiqui 2 (2013). In the same year, the romantic comedy Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani emerged as his highest-grossing release, and won him the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor in addition to a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Robin Bhatt is an Indian screenwriter active in Bollywood. He is the half-brother of Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt and son of Nanabhai Bhatt. He has written many films and was nominated thrice and won an award for Baazigar. He is honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at Jaipur International Film Festival-JIFF in 2019. His debut film as writer was Aashiqui, which proved to be a hit film. He has written many films for Bhatt Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alia Bhatt</span> British actress (born 1993)

Alia Bhatt is a British actress of Indian descent who predominantly works in Hindi films. Known for her portrayals of women in challenging circumstances, she has received several accolades, including a National Film Award and six Filmfare Awards. She is one of India's highest-paid actresses. Time magazine awarded her with the Time100 Impact Award in 2022 and named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiara Advani</span> Indian actress (born 1991)

Alia Advani, known professionally as Kiara Advani, is an Indian actress who works in Hindi and Telugu language films. After making her acting debut in the comedy film Fugly (2014), she played MS Dhoni's wife in the sports biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016). She gained appreciation for playing a sexually unsatisfied wife in the Netflix anthology film Lust Stories (2018) and played the leading lady in the political thriller Bharat Ane Nenu (2018).

<i>Kapoor & Sons</i> 2016 film by Shakun Batra

Kapoor & Sons, also known as Kapoor & Sons , is a 2016 Indian Hindi language family-drama film directed by Shakun Batra and produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta under Dharma Productions, with Fox Star Studios serving as distributor and co-producer. Exploring themes of a dysfunctional family, the film stars Rishi Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor. Marking the second collaboration between Malhotra and Bhatt after their debut together in Student of the Year (2012), the film follows two estranged brothers who return to their dysfunctional family after their grandfather suffers a cardiac arrest.

<i>Kalank</i> 2019 film by Abhishek Varman

Kalank is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language period romantic drama film directed by Abhishek Varman and produced by Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta under Dharma Productions and Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment in association with Fox Star Studios as presenter and distributor. Set in the pre-independence British era, the film stars an ensemble cast of Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sanjay Dutt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triptii Dimri</span> Indian actress (born 1994)

Triptii Dimri is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She made her acting debut in the comedy film Poster Boys (2017) and had her first lead role in the romantic drama Laila Majnu (2018). She gained critical recognition for her performances in Anvita Dutt's period films Bulbbul (2020) and Qala (2022), with the former earning her a Filmfare OTT Award.

<i>Sadak 2</i> 2020 film by Mahesh Bhatt

Sadak 2 is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language action thriller road film directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Fox Star Studios and Mukesh Bhatt under their banner Vishesh Films. A sequel to the 1991 film Sadak, it stars Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur in the lead roles with an ensemble supporting cast, while Pooja Bhatt makes a special appearance. The film marks Mahesh Bhatt's return as a director after 20 years. The film's story takes place twenty-nine years after the events of its predecessor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alia Bhatt filmography</span> Filmography of the Indian actress

Alia Bhatt is a British actress of Indian descent who predominantly works in Hindi films. As a child, she played a minor role in her father Mahesh Bhatt's production Sangharsh (1999), as the younger version of star Preity Zinta's character. In 2012, Bhatt had her first lead role in Karan Johar's teen film Student of the Year, but her performance in it was not well-received. Two years later, she gained praise for playing a kidnapping victim in the drama Highway (2014), winning the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. In the same year, her starring roles in the commercially successful romances 2 States and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, both produced under Johar's studio Dharma Productions, established her as a leading actress. She also sang the single "Samjhawan Unplugged" for the latter film's soundtrack.

References

  1. "Pooja Bhatt photos: 50 rare HD photos of Pooja Bhatt". The Indian Express. 8 April 2018. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  2. "Birthday Exclusive: Pooja Bhatt". Deccan Chronicle. 24 February 2013. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 Nath, Dipanita (15 November 2016). "Letters from Father to Daughter". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pooja Bhatt: Lesser known facts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  5. Bollywood Trade News Network (July 2007). "Tulip's one exciting girl to watch for!". GlamSham. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  6. Jha, Subhash K (23 May 2013). "Pooja Bhatt auctions role for women's cause". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  7. Sharma, Aditi (15 May 2021). "Emraan Hashmi spills the beans on Mahesh Bhatt-Mukesh Bhatt split". Zee News. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  8. Sharma, Dishya (1 August 2023). "When Pooja Bhatt Revealed Reason Behind Separating from Manish Makhija: 'I Was Tired of Being...'". News18. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  9. "Bigg Boss OTT 2: Pooja Bhatt Says Divorce Was The "Lowest Phase" Of Her Life - "It Felt Like Death"". NDTV. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  10. "Pictures of celebrities' on magazine covers". The Times of India. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  11. "Top Earners of 1991, Boxoffice India". Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  12. "The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | 7days | No ripoffs, please". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 28 May 2009.
  13. "Border: An ambitious '71 war story is a mission unaccomplished". India Today. 23 June 1997. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. "Top Hits 1990-1999 - - Box Office India".
  15. Khanabar, Ankita (15 March 2023). "Pooja Bhatt recalls wearing her grandmother's saree and mangalsutra in 'Zakhm' as the film was based on Mahesh Bhatt's mother's life - Exclusive!". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  16. "Pooja Bhatt recalls being terrified of playing her grandmom in Zakhm". Hindustan Times. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  17. "When Mahesh Bhatt's father put sindoor on his mother's remains: 'It was too little too late, that broke me down'". The Indian Express. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  18. "Mahesh Bhatt returns to direction with Sadak 2, daughters Alia and Pooja to star with Sanjay Dutt". The Indian Express . 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  19. "Alia Bhatt announces Sadak 2 premiere on August 28 on Disney+ Hotstar". Bollywood Hungama . 6 August 2020. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  20. Keshri, Shweta (16 July 2020). "Netflix's Bombay Begums starring Pooja Bhatt deals with desire, ethics and vulnerabilities". India Today. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.