More than 35 years after ‘Aashiqui’ became a romantic love story in Hindi cinema, actor Pooja Bhatt Revealing the film was inspired by the extraordinary real-life love story of her parents, the filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and Lorraine Bright, who later changed her name to Kiran Bhatt.Pooja said the 1990 blockbuster was largely based on her parents’ early relationship, which began when they were teenagers. She told Cyrus Broacha’s podcast, “Aashiqui is based on my parents’ love story. My mother was in an orphanage in Scotland and my father lived in a building across the street. He saw her during a sports day, jumped over the wall to meet her, and got caught.”The incident led to an unforgettable exchange with her grandmother, Betty Bertha Bright. “My grandmother was called in and she said, ‘Listen, I just sent my youngest to boarding school. If you’re old enough to jump over a wall, you’re old enough to take care of her.'”She revealed that the consequences were serious. Her mother was evicted from the orphanage, after which Mahesh Bhatt took on the responsibility of taking care of her. “She got kicked out of school and my dad felt it was his responsibility. He took her to the YMCA and forged a letter saying she was a working girl so she could stay there. She got a job at Grover Vineyards. She only knew two bus routes – one to go to work and one to go home.”“Pooja added that the film closely reflects that chapter of her parents’ lives. “He took care of her when she was very young. He’s 77 now and she’s 74. Aashiqui is based on that. I actually get to play the role of my mother.”She also revealed that although Mahesh Bhatt and her uncle Mukesh Bhatt She was offered a role in “Aashiqui” but she turned down the offer as her then boyfriend did not want her to pursue an acting career. Interestingly, Pooja’s account echoes what Mahesh Bhatt himself shared during an emotional conversation on her podcast last year, in which he reflected on his romance with Lorraine.Bhatt told Pooja on her podcast, “I was 16 and she was 14. She was living in an orphanage because her mother couldn’t afford to make her a day scholar. One day, I saw this beautiful girl standing in front of Bombay Scots School with her friend. There was something about her that attracted me. But somehow there is a feeling of unworthiness before love. “Unable to see Lorraine in public, Mahesh secretly delivered his letters with the help of a tailor who made school uniforms.He added, “I was struck by her charm and beauty and begged him to bring her my letter. He said it was dangerous because if he was caught, he would lose his job. But he was a generous man, so he took my letter and I waited for her reply.” And then she did it! I wrote to her in blood, and she wrote back in blood. “However, their secret romance didn’t stay hidden for long. “All hell broke loose, the tailor lost her job and Lorraine was kicked out of school.”Mahesh recalled that Lorraine’s mother was understandably frustrated, but he promised to take care of her daughter. He forged his father’s signature to obtain accommodation for Lorraine at the YMCA, where she later trained as a receptionist and telephone operator.Years later, their relationship took a painful turn when Mahesh fell in love with the actor Parveen Babi. “I really believed in fairy tale love, but then I fell in love with Parveen Babi.” He remembers confessing the affair to Lorraine, while their daughter Pooja slept nearby. “I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, ‘You’ve hated your father your whole life because he treated your mother like another woman. What did you do?'”Reflecting on the breakdown of their relationship, he admitted, “My fairy tale romance turned to ashes.”After his relationship with Parveen ended, Mahesh found love again with the actor Soni Razdan and decided to remarry. He first chose to talk to Pooja before revealing the news to Lorraine. Recalling that conversation, Pooja said: “I saw you sitting at my bedside telling me about the woman you met, Soni, and the fact that you were going to marry her and move out. I was honored to be treated as an equal because you told me this before you told my mother.”Mahesh remembers assuring his daughter that his decision would never affect his relationship with her. “You remember when I told you that I would not live here, please do not mistake this for my rejection of you. There is another woman in my life, but I love you. I will always take care of your mother and this house. I cannot thank you enough for the look on your face because you looked at me and I thought you were not judging me,” he said. Despite parting ways, Mahesh and Lorraine still maintain a mutual respect for each other. Pooja recalled that when the legality of Mahesh’s marriage to Soni Razdan was questioned, it was her mother who came to his defence. Pooja revealed, “When they questioned the legality of your marriage, they said, ‘Who allowed it?'” I will never forget, my mother stood up and said, ‘Who allowed it? I allowed it. He has my blessing. “
