Pooja Bhatt & Mahesh Bhatt Movies Together List — 13 Films

The shape of the work

The 1990s account for 77% of everything they made together. The 1980s belonged to Daddy; the 2010s to Jism 2. Mahesh Bhatt director in some, story in others. Strictly Hindi cinema — they never crossed industries together.

Partnership facts

• Mahesh Bhatt didn't want to cast his own daughter in 'Daddy' (1989). He thought it would look like nepotism. Pooja had to audition twice and prove she could cry on cue before he gave her the part.
• On the set of 'Sadak' (1991), Mahesh would whisper the next line to Pooja just before the camera rolled. She never memorized the full script. He wanted her reactions to feel raw and unplanned — and they did.
• Because of 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin' (1991), Aamir Khan agreed to work with Mahesh Bhatt again on 'Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke'. Pooja's easy chemistry with Aamir in that film convinced Mahesh he could write a rom-com for Aamir.
• After every film wrap, Pooja would give Mahesh a handwritten note listing one thing he did that made her angry during the shoot. He kept all of them in a drawer. She says he never once apologized — but he stopped doing those things.
• Pooja once said: 'He was the toughest director I ever worked with. He'd make me do 20 takes of a simple close-up. But he also knew exactly when I was faking an emotion — and he'd call cut and say, 'Try again, but this time mean it.'