Rahul Bhatt, son of Mahesh Bhatt and his first wife Kiran, has opened up about his “strained” relationship with his father. Reflecting on his childhood and their relationship over the years, Rahul said that he felt Mahesh was somewhat indifferent towards him. He also spoke about the communication gap between them.

talking with Siddharth Kannan, Rahul said, “I had to be my father. My father was there, but he wasn’t there. He’s been a little indifferent to me because of what he knows best. I love my father, I respect him, but I’m not my father. It’s a broken relationship.” Rahul added that he has always faced “communication problems” with his father.

Mahesh Bhatt and Kiran became mutually estranged in the late 1970s, though their formal divorce was finalized in 1988. The filmmaker married actor Soni Razdan in 1986, with whom she has two daughters, Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt.

Discussing his relationship with his stepmother, Rahul described Soni as “great” and “warm” but said he felt their relationship was largely a formal one. “They call me, but it’s all a formality,” he said.

Rahul said that despite the strained nature of her relationship with Mahesh Bhatt, her father cares for and supports Kiran.

“My mother used to be unhappy. She was at home. There was a lot of negativity. No one was interested. There was no communication. It was dysfunctional. He is a great person. I respect him. He takes care of my mother. I respect him too. Whenever there is a financial crisis, he is there. I can live a wonderful life. I can’t give my father money to study at home. Expenses,” he said.

Rahul added that he earns a comfortable living and is financially self-sufficient.

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