Nanabhai Bhatt
Born(1915-06-12)12 June 1915
Porbandar, Porbandar State, Kathiawar Agency, Bombay Presidency, British India
(present-day Gujarat, India)
Died24 April 1999(1999-04-24) (aged 83)
Mumbai, Maharashtra
NationalityIndian
Other namesYeshwant Bhatt
Batuk Bhatt
Occupations
Years active1942–1988
SpouseHemlata Bhatt
PartnerShirin Mohammad Ali
Children9 (including Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt & Robin Bhatt)
RelativesSee Bhatt family

Nanabhai Bhatt (12 June 1915 – 24 April 1999) was an Indian film director and producer who worked in Hindi and Gujarati cinema.[1][2] He is known for making over a hundred fantasy and mythological films,[3] including Mr. X (1957), Zimbo Comes to Town (1960), Lal Qila (1960) and the blockbuster Kangan (1959) starring Nirupa Roy and Ashok Kumar.[4][5] His first film, Muqabala (1942), was the first to feature the double-role or "twins" phenomenon in Indian cinema, wherein lead actress Fearless Nadia alternated between the good sister and the gangster's moll. The formula was subsequently emulated in numerous Hindi films.[6]

Early life and career

Bhatt, called Yeshwant Bhatt, was born in a Nagar Brahmin family[7] on 12 June 1915 in Porbandar, British India.[citation needed] [8] He started his early career in films as a sound recordist with Prakash Pictures, working under his brother Balwant Bhatt, and then by writing "scripts and stories" using the name Batuk Bhatt.[9] He began his directorial venture when he joined Homi Wadia's team at Basant Pictures[10] by co-directing two films with Babubhai Mistri, Muqabala (1942) and Mauj (1943), under the same name.[11] He directed two more films as Batuk Bhatt, Homi Wadia's Hunterwali Ki Beti (1943) and Liberty Pictures Sudhar (1949).[12] Bhatt left Basant Pictures and started his own production company "Deepak Pictures" in 1946.[10]

Personal life

Bhatt was the patriarch of the Bhatt film family.[13] Nanabhai was in relationship with a Shia Muslim actress, Shirin Mohammad Ali since 1939. The couple had six children – Sheila Bhatt, Purnima Bhasin, Kumkum Saigal, Mahesh Bhatt , Heena Suri and Mukesh Bhatt.[14][15] Later, Nanabhai married Hemlata Bhatt – with whom he had three children – Robin Bhatt, Parmesh Bhatt , Mamta Bhatt.[16][17]

He had five daughters and four sons, including film director and producer Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt, and Robin Bhatt.[18]

Bhatt died at Nanavati hospital in Mumbai from heart failure on 24 April 1999.[19][20]

Filmography

Producer

Director

References

  1. ^ "News: Limping at 75". Screen. 4 May 2007.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "'Dhollywood' at 75 finds few takers in urban Gujarat". Financial Express. 22 April 2007.
  3. ^ Nanbhat Bhatt chapak.com.
  4. ^ "1959: Year that was". Indian Express. 29 May 1998.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Quicktakes: Bhatts bereaved". Indian Express. 24 April 1999.
  6. ^ "SPECIAL: Is Old Gold?". Screen. 26 March 2010.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "On Alia Bhatt's birthday, tracing her Kashmiri, Gujarati, German roots". Hindustan Times. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Mahesh Bhatt tours riot-ravaged Ahmedabad – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  9. ^ Sanjit Narwekar (1994). "Bhatt, Nanabhai". Directory of Indian film-makers and films. Flicks Books. p. 49. ISBN 9780948911408. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  10. ^ a b Rachel Dwyer; Senior Lecturer in Indian Studies Rachel Dwyer (27 September 2006). Filming the Gods: Religion and Indian Cinema. Routledge. pp. 44–. ISBN 978-1-134-38070-1. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  11. ^ Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (26 June 1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. p. 63. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Batuk Bhatt Filmography". Gomolo.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Mahesh Bhatt tours riot-ravaged Ahmedabad". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Mahesh Bhatt's father didn't abandon either of his two wives, his claims about being illegitimate are 'dishonest': Nephew Dharmesh Darshan".
  15. ^ "The Saraansh of Mahesh Bhatt's life".
  16. ^ "ETimes BFFs: Did you know Faraaz producer Sahil Saigal is Alia Bhatt's cousin? Check out the long and complicated filmy lineage of the Bhatts!".
  17. ^ "Age. 96 years Left for her heavenly abode on 18.9.2015 Robin Bhatt & Family".
  18. ^ "The Dynamic Dynasties: What would the world of films be without them?". Screen. 22 September 2000. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010.
  19. ^ "Filmmaker Nanabhai Bhatt dead". Rediff. 23 April 1999. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Nanabhai Bhatt dead". The Tribune. 24 April 1999. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.

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