There are lot of controversies associated with Mahesh Bhatt right from his birth to his marriage to his films.
His Birth- His father Nanabhai Bhatt was a producer of B grade mythological low budget films. He was a Hindu and fell in love with a Muslim woman. But Nanbhai’s mother didn't agree to their relation and got him married to a woman of their community. Mahesh Bhatt was born out of the wedlock between the Hindu Man and Muslim woman who was not married to him. That made his parentage highly contested and in a way illegitimate. This has been a constant them in his films be it Janam, Aashiqi, Zakhm etc. Later on, when Mahesh Bhatt became a big man, Nanabhai Bhatt accused him in one of the interviews of not treating him well. Once Nanbhai Bhatt asked him for 300 rs for medicine, Mahesh Bhatt refused saying he doesn't have any money right now. But the same evening he spend thousands of rupees partying with his friends. However the claim of being an illegitimate child has been rubbished by his nephew Dharmesh Darshan who has clearly said that Nanabhai never left any of his wives.
Marriage- Mahesh Bhatt had two marriages. One with Loraine Bright whom he met when he was 16 and she was 14. She lived in an orphanage (because her mother couldn't pay for her upkeeping). He used a tailor to get her messages and love letters written with blood. When they were caught she was expelled from school, and the tailor lost his job. Eventually they got married in 1970 (their romance became the inspiration for Aashiqi which has a similar story). Loraine Bright changed her name to Kiran Bhatt. But Mahesh Bhatt was prone to cheating first with Parveen Babi which didn't last long (which became the basis of films like Phir Teri kahani Yaad Aayi and Woh Lamhe) and then Soni Razdan. He is said to have converted to Islam to marry her but Mahesh Bhatt refused this saying that he is Half Muslim by her mother side already he doesn't need to convert to Islam. Mahesh Bhatt still takes care of Kiran Bhatt despite their separation. He once made a creepy statement about her daughter Pooja Bhatt with whom he appeared on a magazine cover ki**ing. He said that had not Pooja Bhaat his daughter he would have married her!!
Films- Mahesh Bhatt’s film career also started with controversy. His first film Manzelien aur Bhi Hai was banned by the government for undermining the institution of marriages and mockery of Indian values. The film could be released only after 18 months of delay in 1974. He had stiff with many of his co stars like Smita Patil who felt they have promoted Shabana Azmi in Arth and cut her scenes to make her appear like a vamp. He had conflict with Anupam Kher who felt he was typecast as an old man after Saraansh. And with Vinod Khanna they had a major rift during the making of Jurm after which Mahesh Bhatt's brother Mukesh Bhatt and Vinod Khanna had a physical altercation. He has been accused of using his personal life for films. Almost all his films were somehow based on his personal life- Arth, Janam, Aashiqi, Zakhm, Wo Lamhe, Hamari Adhuri Kahani etc.