‘You Didn’t Judge Me’: Mahesh Bhatt Breaks Down Recalling Pooja Bhatt’s Reaction To His Affair With Soni Razdan

Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has never shied away from speaking about the most vulnerable chapters of his life. But in a rare and deeply emotional moment on The Pooja Bhatt Show — his daughter Pooja Bhatt’s podcast — the director broke down as he revisited the turbulent period when he fell in love with actress Soni Razdan while already married to Kiran Bhatt.

At the time, Mahesh was father to two children, Pooja and Rahul Bhatt. His decision to marry Soni Razdan was one that shook the family’s foundation, but what moved him most, he said, was the compassion his daughter showed him in the middle of that upheaval.

“I Thought You Didn’t Judge Me”

Recalling how he confessed the truth to his young daughter, Mahesh said, “You remember when I told you that

I would not be living here and please don’t mistake this as my rejection of you, there is another woman in my life, but I love you. And I will always take care of your mother and this house…”

Overcome with emotion, the filmmaker broke down on the podcast. He continued, “I can’t thank you enough for that expression, because you looked at me, and I thought you didn’t judge me.”

To this, Pooja replied with clarity: “No, I didn’t judge you.”

Pooja On Being Told Before Her Mother

Pooja Bhatt then recalled how her father had chosen to confide in her about Soni Razdan even before telling her mother Kiran. She said, “I saw you sitting at the edge of my bed and telling me about the woman that you have met, Soni, and the fact that you’re going to be marrying her and move out. I was just privileged to be treated as an equal because you told me this before you even told my mother.”

Despite being so young at the time, Pooja said she valued being included in such an honest conversation — one that shaped her understanding of relationships and complexities early on.

Years Later, An Apology From Soni Razdan

Even after Mahesh tied the knot with Soni Razdan, Pooja maintained cordial ties with both her father and Soni. She shared how, many years later, Soni expressed regret for how things unfolded back then.

“Many years later, I went on a recce with Soni for a film called Love Affair and she just told me that she felt so guilty at that time, and she said it in such a bare manner. I told her, ‘Soni, it’s not your fault, you couldn’t have taken him away.’ So I genuinely believe that,” Pooja revealed.

The Bhatt Family Today

Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan went on to welcome two daughters together — Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt — both of whom have carved their own spaces in the world of cinema and writing.

The heartfelt conversation between father and daughter highlights not just the turbulence of the past but also the empathy, acceptance, and emotional maturity with which the Bhatt family has navigated one of its most difficult phases.