| Nanabhai Bhatt | |
| Birth Date: | 1915 6, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Porbandar, Porbandar State, Kathiawar Agency, British India |
| Death Place: | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Other Names: | Yeshwant Bhatt Batuk Bhatt |
| Years Active: | 19421988 |
| Spouse: | Hemlata Bhatt |
| Partner: | Shirin Mohammad Ali |
| Children: | 9 (including Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt & Robin Bhatt) |
| Relatives: | See 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]
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.
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]