Muzammil Ibrahim accuses Pooja Bhatt of abuse on 'Dhokha' Set: "I used to have nightmares"

Muzammil Ibrahim, who first rose to fame as a supermodel, ventured into acting with the 2007 film Dhokha. The film was produced by Mahesh Bhatt and directed by Pooja Bhatt. While it marked an important milestone in his career, Muzammil recently revealed that the experience of working on the film was deeply traumatic for him. In a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan, he shared that he was mistreated on set and subjected to behaviour he hadn’t anticipated at all.

Muzammil Ibrahim opens up on Pooja Bhatt's abuse

Recalling those days, Muzammil said he was only 20 at the time and never expected such a hostile work environment. He revealed that Pooja Bhatt would call him “unprofessional” and treat him with extreme disrespect.

“She had a temperament and attitude that was not respectful towards actors,” he stated. Despite being appreciated by Mahesh Bhatt for his acting skills, Muzammil said his experience with Pooja was emotionally scarring. “I was verbally abused and treated in a way that was beyond words. I was respectful, but after that experience, I stopped having any expectations,” he added.

The actor also revealed that he turned down Raaz 2 because of what he endured during Dhokha. “I was terrified. It felt like a nightmare. Coming from a modest background, being a respected supermodel, I didn’t expect to be treated that way,” he said.

Muzammil alleged that Pooja Bhatt made degrading comments about actors, comparing them to dogs. “I heard things like actors should sit when told. It broke me,” he confessed. According to him, Mahesh Bhatt tried to intervene, but things worsened when he wasn’t on set.

The distressing experience took a toll on Muzammil’s mental health, leading to depression and constant anxiety about filming. Despite the behind-the-scenes turmoil, Dhokha received positive reviews upon release, and Muzammil was praised for his performance. The film also featured Tulip Joshi, Anupam Kher, and Gulshan Grover in key roles.