Pooja Bhatt recalls father Mahesh Bhatt telling her to 'shut up' across the sets of 'Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahi'
ETimes April 28, 2026 06:39 PM
The upcoming episode of Indian Idol promises to be emotional as veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and daughter actress Pooja Bhatt took a nostalgic ride and revisited memories from their iconic film ' Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin '.
During a candid interaction, Pooja Bhatt revealed about being on the receiving end of her father's strict direction. She joked about how Mahesh Bhatt would shout "POOJA, SHUT UP!" across the set instead of calling for silence.
Mahesh Bhatt revealed that he was in his 40s when he directed the film, while Pooja Bhatt shared that she was just 19 years old at the time, proudly reflecting on her journey.
The duo fondly recalled behind-the-scenes moments, including the much-loved "tarbooja ka beej" scene and the energy on set during the shoot of the film's title track.
Adding to the nostalgia , Mahesh Bhatt recalled, "Yeh pehle schedule ka first scene shuru hua tha iss gaane se, aur poora unit ne saath mein gaya," with everyone joining in to sing 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin' in chorus. Pooja revealed how this collective enthusiasm boosted her confidence and helped her deliver the shot.
Recalling the visual magic of the scene, Mahesh Bhatt described the lighting as forming a halo behind Pooja, calling it a "magical moment" in filmmaking.
Pooja further shared, "I am privileged to have him as a father and also to have him as a director. Yeh saare gaane kisi ne likhe hain, kisi ne banaye hain, kisi ne shoot kiye hain. That light that you saw behind my hair somebody like Pravin Bhatt created."
She added, "Hum actors bas lucky hote hain to be in the right place at the right time. Aur saara credit hum le lete hain, jaise gaana humne likha, humne gaya. Lekin jab film flop hoti hai toh woh filmmaker ki ho jaati hai. That's why I am proud of ' Jadu Ka Nasha ' because I produced that film."
She also went on to acknowledged the contributions of technicians, including cinematographer Pravin Bhatt , and emphasized that while actors often receive the spotlight, the real magic lies in teamwork.
