Rahul Bhatt, son of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt from his first marriage, has spoken about his equation with his stepmother Soni Razdan and half-sisters Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt. In a podcast conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Rahul described his family dynamics and also shared his personal views on the professional differences between Alia and his sister Pooja Bhatt.
Mahesh Bhatt has four children. Pooja and Rahul are from his first marriage to Kiran Bhatt, while Alia and Shaheen are his daughters with Soni Razdan.
Rahul Describes His Bond With Alia and Shaheen
During the conversation, Rahul was asked about his relationship with Alia and Shaheen. He said that they share a civil relationship and that he has respect and affection for both of them.
Rahul also expressed happiness about Shaheen’s life and described Alia as someone he is proud of. He referred to her as his younger sister and revealed that Alia affectionately calls him “Sunny Bunny.”
He said the family meets on occasions such as their father’s birthday, Christmas and Diwali. Rahul added that he considers himself close to the family, while noting that Shaheen shows him a particularly strong level of respect.
Rahul Calls His Relationship With Soni Razdan Formal
Speaking about his equation with Soni Razdan, Rahul described her as a good person but said their relationship remains largely formal.
He explained that while there is contact between them and he is invited to family occasions, he views the relationship as more formal than close. Rahul’s comments offered his personal perspective on how his blended family relationships have developed over the years.
Why Rahul Compared Alia and Pooja
Rahul was also asked about earlier comments in which he had compared Alia Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt as performers. He clarified that the two actresses belong to different generations and have built their careers in very different eras.
According to Rahul, Alia has developed a more extensive body of work and has made strong choices in selecting films. He also credited her with understanding publicity, audience engagement and the demands of building a successful career in the current film industry.
At the same time, Rahul said he personally considers Pooja to be particularly talented among the siblings. He pointed to her personality, intelligence, communication skills and individual style while explaining that his assessment was simply his personal opinion.
Rahul Praises Alia’s Career Choices
While discussing the comparison, Rahul made it clear that his comments were not intended as criticism of Alia. He acknowledged her achievements and said she has accomplished considerably more than many might have expected.
He also described Alia as someone who has established a distinct identity within the industry. According to Rahul, the circumstances surrounding Pooja’s career were different because she entered the industry during another era, making a direct comparison difficult.
His remarks therefore focused on differences in their careers, personalities and professional environments rather than suggesting that the two actresses followed identical paths.
Rahul Reveals Meeting Ranbir Kapoor
Rahul was also asked whether he had met Alia’s husband, actor Ranbir Kapoor. He said he had met Ranbir around five or six times.
Recalling one interaction, Rahul said Ranbir had asked him about handling firearms while working on Animal. The conversation provided a brief glimpse into their limited interactions and the professional context in which they had met.
Rahul’s latest comments have once again brought attention to the Bhatt family, while his remarks about Alia and Pooja remain his personal assessment of two actresses who established their careers in different periods of Hindi cinema.