Hyderabad: The Bhatt family has been a powerful name in Bollywood for decades. Led by filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, the family has shaped the industry with blockbuster movies, bold storytelling, and powerful female leads.

From Mahesh Bhatt’s cinematic genius to his daughters—Pooja Bhatt’s fearless screen presence, Alia Bhatt’s current superstardom, and Shaheen Bhatt’s honest writing—the Bhatts are no strangers to fame, success, and public attention. But sometimes, even the most respected families have drama that grabs headlines—and that’s exactly what happened recently.
Rahul Bhatt’s Viral Interview
Recently, an old interview clip of Rahul Bhatt resurfaced on social media, reigniting controversy. In the video, Rahul—Mahesh Bhatt’s son from his first wife, Kiran Bhatt—made a harsh comparison between his half-sister Alia Bhatt and his real sister, Pooja Bhatt. He said:
“She has got talent. She has the universe with her. She understands PR. She has everything and when you have everything, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
However, he added, “In my opinion, she is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai (not as good).’ Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
The internet went into a frenzy, with people calling out the harshness and inappropriateness of comparing siblings in such a personal way—especially when it comes to using terms like “sexy” for one’s own sisters.
Despite his criticism, Rahul did acknowledge Alia’s achievements. He praised her for being a good mother, marrying well, and taking care of their step-sister Shaheen. Still, he insisted that Pooja is the one who truly carried forward their father’s legacy.
Rahul and Pooja are Mahesh Bhatt’s children with his first wife Kiran, and Alia and Shaheen are Mahesh’s daughters from his second marriage with Soni Razdan. In 2010, Rahul was a contestant in the reality show Bigg Boss 4.