Alia and Shaheen Opens Up About Their Love For 'Daddy'

On Father’s Day, we visited Mahesh Bhatt and his daughters Alia and Shaheen for a heart-to-heart on life philosophies, friendship and the unshakeable bond based on a common love for aloo fry. 

- Sandipan Dalal

Mahesh Bhatt is not looking forward to his daughters, Alia and Shaheen, moving into their new apartment later this year even if it’s just a block away. He doesn’t lament the fact that they have grown up all too soon, but the fact that he will miss being surrounded by his closest friends weighs on his mind. “We are like four close friends, with very different interests. We agree to disagree all the time, but we live under one roof and rely on each other,” Alia says of her family. Sister Shaheen, who writes and directs films, quickly adds, “What is empowering is that he treats us as equals and allows us to fight with him as much as we do.” Femina got a ringside view of the love and madness when we met the Bhatts at their upscale suburban Mumbai home. Edited excerpts from the interview:

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ON FEMINA’S FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL COVER?

Mahesh Bhatt: Thanks to my two girls, I find myself cover-worthy. I had a ball at the photo shoot. To see my wife (Soni Razdan) smiling the way she was [while watching us from the sidelines] was the icing on the cake. Memories from events like this will remain etched in my consciousness for a very long time. And these two girls, who are otherwise very dismissive, conceded reluctantly that it was a very special day.

Alia Bhatt: I had never imagined coming together with my family for a cover. Being a part of the same industry, doing things together is only natural [for us] but I haven’t done a film with my father and sister. At the photo shoot all the attention was on him, which is how it’s meant to be even in the house (laughs).

Mahesh: I wouldn’t kid myself the attention was on me. Like the moon gets its glory from the sun, I get the light from my two girls.