Mukesh Bhatt

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Mukesh Bhatt is the son of filmmaker Nanabhai Bhatt, who made B-Grade action films in the '50s and '60s. His father had two wives. Mukesh Bhatt was born to Hemlata Bhatt, Nanabhai's legal wife. In contrast, Mahesh Bhatt was born to Shirin Mohammad Ali, his sweetheart, and illegitimate wife. Since Mukesh was the legal son of Nanabhai hence he looked after his father's film production house. Nanabhai Bhatt maintained a distance with his other son Mahesh Bhatt.

Mukesh Bhatt is married to Nilima Bhatt. He has one daughter Sakshi Bhatt and a son Vishesh Bhatt.

1970

Mukesh Bhatt started his career as Production Manager for his father's Nanabhai Bhatt Films

After his formal education, Mukesh Bhatt started his career in 1970 as Production Manager of his father Nanabhai Bhatt Films. The film company produced B-Grade action movies like Jeevan Rekha (1974), Balak Aur Janwar (1975), Dharti Mata (1976) but the failures of these films forced Nanubahi to switch to Gujarati films for survival. Hence he made few Gujarati films like Gajara Maru (Gujarati film) (1981) and Jaya Parvati Vrat (Gujarati film) (1982). Despite Gujarati films earning little money, the film company was in losses and on the verge of closing.

Film writer Salim Khan bridged the gap between brothers' - Mukesh and Mahesh Bhatt

On one hand Nanabhai Bhatt and his son Mukesh Bhatt were struggling to make ends meet, on other the other hand, Nanabhai Bhatt's other son Mahesh Bhatt was making waves as a director of repute. But due to the distance between father Nanabhai Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt, the two did not work together

The huge success of Arth, Saraansh, Janam, etc made Mahesh Bhatt the most sought after filmmaker of Bollywood. The cherry on the cake was filmmaker Rajendra Kumar signing Mahesh Bhatt to direct his film Naam!! Incidentally, Naam was such a huge commercial hit that Mahesh Bhatt became a Star Film Director and the highest-paid film director of Bollywood.  

Watching the losses of Nanabhai Bhatt, film writer Salim Khan (Of Salim Javed fame) decided to bridge the gap between Mukesh Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt. On Salim Khan's insistence, Mukesh Bhatt agreed to work with Mahesh Bhatt and thus Nanabhai Bhatt produced Kabzaa (1988). The film was written by Salim Khan and had Sanjay Dutt and Amrita Singh. The film was an average hit. Though it did not pour a windfall of money but it was critically and publically appreciated. The success of the film cemented the long association of Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt brothers!!

Mukesh Bhatt launches his Production House Vishesh Films

The success of Kabzaa encouraged Mukesh Bhatt to come out from wings of his father Nanabhai Bhatt and become an independent film producer. In 1987, Mukesh Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt jointly turned producers and launched their own banner, Vishesh Films. The debut film produced by the Vishesh Films was Doordarshan's Tele Film Daddy (1988). Vishesh Films were the Executive Producers of the film. The film introduced Pooja Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt's daughter. The film won huge acclaim and was commercially successful.

With Jurm (1990) starring Vinod Khanna and Meenakshi Sheshadri, Mukesh Bhatt turned Chief Producer. The film was written by Salim Khan and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film was a huge hit but went over budget. According to Mukesh, the film was planned to be completed in 6 months but due to Vinod Khanna's starry tantrums, the film was completed after 23 months!! This disturbed the film's budget. The profit earned was also adversely affected.

Mukesh Bhatt and Gulshan Kumar started a joint film production

These days the trend of joint film production has become a common phenomenon. A group of production house combines and makes movies. But the trend of joint film production started in 1990 when film producer Mukesh Bhatt decided to join hands with a music company and instead of selling music rights, roped the music company as a film producer.

Gulshan Kumar, the owner of T-Series was the topmost music company in Bollywood hence Mukesh Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt narrated him a story to Gulshan Kumar that had great scope for music. The Bhatt brothers had even made some melodious songs and played the songs. Gulshan Kumar was pleased and turned producer. Thus was born Aashiqui (1990), a small budget film with great music. The film had 9 songs and all were a super hit – Remember - Nazar Ke Saamne ...Ab Tere Bin.....Dheere Dheere Se...Bas Ek Sanam Chaahiye.... The music album created history becoming the highest-selling album with more than 20 million records and cassettes being sold.

The music created hungama at Filmfare awards with all four categories of Music Award went to Aashiqui viz. Best Music Director (Nadeem Shravan); Best Male Playback Singer (Kumar Sanu for Ab Tere Bin…); Best Female Playback Singer (Anuradha Paudwal for Nazar Ke Saamne…) and Best Lyricist (Sameer for Nazar Ke Saamne…) 

After Aashiqui, Mukesh Bhatt and Gulshan Kumar created magic at Box-Office with the huge success of Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991). Once again Nadeem Shravan gave melodious music and the film was a runaway hit. However, after Aashiqui and Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin the association of Gulshan Kumar and Mukesh Bhatt came to an end.

New film directors saved Vishesh Films from disaster

Mahesh Bhatt continued his success rate in early 90's giving hit films like Sadak (1991) and Sir (1993) but as the decade ended Mahesh Bhatt lost his charm as a director. Bhatt gave a series of flop films like Junoon, Tadipaar, Naaraaz, Naajayaz, Criminal, and Dastak. Sanjay Dutt staring Kartoos (1999) was the last directorial of Mahesh Bhatt.

 Annoyed with the flops, Mukesh Bhatt switched to the new breed of filmmakers and fortunately, new directors like Tanuja Chandra and Vikram Bhatt saved Vishesh Films from drowning. Tanuja Chandra managed to make two average hit films Dushman and Sangharsh while Vikram Bhatt directed Vishesh Films biggest blockbuster Ghulam, which racked in 250 Crore in 1998!!

Mukesh Bhatt started the new millennium making low budget films

In the urge to make quality cinema Mahesh Bhatt did make some timeless classic and hard-hitting films like Zakhm starring Ajay Devgan and Sangharsh starring Akshay Kumar. Though both films were acclaimed critically but they failed commercially. Hence in the new millennium, Mukesh Bhatt focused on making commercial hit films. He adopted the new ideology of making low budget films with tight script minus top stars.

Mahesh Bhatt served as a key element of Vishesh Films as he is the ‘Brian' behind the scripts. What followed was a series of hit films like Raaz (2002), Murder (2004), Kalyug (2005),  Gangster (2006), Jannat (2008), Murder 2(2011), Jism 2(2012) and Murder 3(2013), Aashiqui 2 (2013).

On Mukesh insistence Mahesh Bhatt is back as director

With the huge success of Aashiqui 2, Mukesh Bhatt wants to reap in profits by making Mahesh Bhatt's 90's biggest hit Sadak. Hence he has announced Sadak -2 with the rare combination of sisters Alia Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt for the first time on the silver screen. To add more spice to the film, the film also has Sanjay Dutt playing a pivotal role. The script is written by Shagufta Rafique, who wrote the original script.  The cherry on the cake is that Mukesh Bhatt has cajoled Mahesh Bhatt to come out from exile and direct the Sadak -2 version. Mahesh Bhatt has agreed!!