More than three decades after it first appeared on a magazine cover, the image of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt sharing a kiss with his daughter Pooja Bhatt continues to spark conversations and debates. The photo, which caused massive controversy in the 1980s, has remained a point of contention and fascination in the world of Bollywood controversies. Now, years later, Pooja Bhatt’s brother Rahul Bhatt has shared his views on the picture that has followed their family for decades. In a recent interview with Hindi Rush, Rahul Bhatt, who was 14 years old when the photo was published, reacted with a composed and unaffected stance. Speaking about the public scrutiny and media attention the picture garnered, Rahul said, "Kuch farq nahi padta. It's like water off a duck's back. Hum jaante hain sach kya hai, aur humne bachpan se sab dekha hai," which loosely translates to, "It doesn’t matter. We know the truth, and we’ve seen all of this since childhood."

His statement reflects a sense of inner strength and detachment that, according to him, comes from growing up in a film family. Rahul emphasized how being raised in the spotlight prepares one to handle public reaction in a way that shields personal integrity. “Children from film families either grow up messed up or very strong. People think we are troubled by these things, but we’re not,” he added, addressing the constant scrutiny and judgments celebrities and their families endure. The controversy around the photograph has seen varying degrees of outrage and misunderstanding over the years. While many critics and segments of the public questioned the appropriateness of the image, others defended it as an intimate yet innocent moment between a father and daughter taken out of context.

Pooja Bhatt herself has never shied away from addressing the issue. In a past interview with Siddharth Kannan, she confronted the criticism head-on, calling the reaction deeply rooted in societal hypocrisy. “If people can look at a father-daughter relationship and twist it in such a way, then they can think anything. And yet, we talk about family values? That’s the biggest joke,” she said in an emotionally charged reflection on the photo and the discourse it created. She further explained that the moment was entirely innocent and that people often project their own biases and discomforts onto situations that defy their expectations or norms. Her statement brought attention not just to the photo but also to how celebrities are often the targets of moral policing by those who know little about the context or people involved.

In the same recent interview, Rahul Bhatt made another bold claim when he compared his sisters. He stated that he believed Pooja Bhatt is more talented, sexy, and overall superior to their half-sister, Bollywood superstar Alia Bhatt. While this statement may stir its own round of headlines, it again shows Rahul's unfiltered style of expressing his thoughts without concern for public reaction. Rahul, who had a brief stint in the limelight as a contestant on the reality television show Bigg Boss 4 in 2010, has since remained a more private figure. However, when he does speak, his words offer a glimpse into the unorthodox but closely-knit world of the Bhatt family—a family that has often courted both controversy and acclaim in equal measure.

Despite the recurring controversy around the photo, the Bhatt family has largely continued to maintain a unified stance, choosing to move forward rather than be weighed down by past public judgment. The recent comments by Rahul Bhatt add another layer to that ongoing story—one that highlights resilience in the face of endless speculation, and a firm belief in their own truth. As the industry continues to evolve, so too does the public’s interpretation of past controversies. What remains constant, however, is the Bhatt family's determination to address them with a combination of honesty, confidence, and, often, unapologetic candor.