Shirin Mohammad Ali

Shirin Mohammad Ali (died 1998) was a Muslim woman from India, best known as the mother of renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Born in a Hindu-dominated area, she was forced to conceal her identity and endured years of marginalization. She was never accepted by Mahesh’s father, Nanabhai Bhatt, who was a Hindu man and already married with a family of his own. In her last years, she requested to be buried according to Islam, a wish that Nanabhai Bhatt could not fulfill due to his own faith. This event scarred Mahesh, who later made a film based on his childhood, Zakhm, with his daughter Pooja Bhatt playing the character based on his mother.

Her Sister, Meherbano Mohammad Ali

Meherbano Mohammad Ali, also known as Purnima, was born on 2 March 1934 and was a popular actress in Hindi films from the late 1940s to the 1950s, appearing in more than 80 Bollywood movies. She first married journalist Syed Shauqat Hashmi, and her son from this first marriage is Anwar Hashmi (father of Emraan Hashmi). In 1954, she married filmmaker Bhagwan Das Verma and took the screen name ‘Purnima’ when she entered the film industry. Some of her most memorable roles include Patanga (1949), Jogan (1950), Sagai (1951), Jaal (1952), Aurat (1953), a role in Ajay Devgan’s debut film Phool Aur Kaante, and the role of Sanjay Dutt’s on-screen grandmother in Naam which was directed by Mahesh Bhatt (Purnima’s elder sister’s son). She also played the role of Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in the film Zanjeer. In her last few years, Meherbano suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died on 14 August 2013.

Her Son, Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. His breakthrough film, Saaransh (1984), was screened at the 14th Moscow International Film Festival and became India’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Bhatt went on to direct a number of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films such as Naam (1986), Daddy (1989), Aashiqui (1990), Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), Sadak (1991), Sir (1993), Gumraah (1993), Criminal (1994), and Zakhm (1999). He has also produced contemporary films such as Jism, Murder, and Woh Lamhe. Bhatt co-owns the film-production company Vishesh Films along with his brother Mukesh Bhatt. In 1996, he directed Tamanna, which won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.

Her Son, Mukesh Bhatt

Mukesh Bhatt (born 5 June 1952) is an Indian film producer and actor. He is the younger brother of Mahesh Bhatt and the co-owner of the production company Vishesh Films, which he set up in 1986. He is married to Nilima Bhatt and they have one daughter named Sakshi and a son Vishesh. He has produced several Bollywood films, with his most successful being Aashiqui (1990), Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), Sadak (1991), Ghulam (1998), Sangharsh (1999), Raaz (2002) and its sequel and Jannat (2008). He recently produced Hamari Adhuri Kahani (2015) with Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan in the lead roles.