Nanabhai Bhatt
Born(1915-06-12)12 June 1915
Died24 April 1999(1999-04-24) (aged 83)
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. [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.
  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.
  5. "Quicktakes: Bhatts bereaved". Indian Express. 24 April 1999.
  6. "SPECIAL: Is Old Gold?". Screen. 26 March 2010.
  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. 1 2 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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