Muzammil Ibrahim says he faced trauma during Dhokha, claims Pooja Bhatt ‘abused’ and called actors ‘dogs’

Actor and former supermodel Muzammil Ibrahim has made serious claims against filmmaker Pooja Bhatt, alleging that she verbally abused and mistreated him during the making of their 2007 film Dhokha. The film, which marked Muzammil’s debut, was directed by Pooja Bhatt and produced under Mahesh Bhatt’s banner.

In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Muzammil shared that the experience on set was mentally traumatic. “I was just a 20-year-old kid then. I was called unprofessional by Pooja Bhatt. Her attitude towards actors was very disrespectful,” he said, adding that he had joined the project with high hopes but was deeply disillusioned by what followed.

The actor described the shoot as "nightmarish" and claimed that the director’s behaviour left a lasting impact. “She used to verbally abuse a lot. I was so scared. I used to have nightmares and pray every day that I survive the shoot. I come from a simple family. It was horrifying,” he recounted.

Muzammil alleged that Pooja’s comments about actors were demeaning. He claimed to have heard her say things like “actors should be like dogs and should sit when told.” The situation reportedly worsened when Mahesh Bhatt was not present on set. Muzammil added that Bhatt did try to intervene at times, but things still got out of control.

The fallout from the incident was so serious that Muzammil decided to step away from doing Raaz 2, which was also part of the Bhatt camp. He revealed that the treatment he received on Dhokha led to a period of depression and anxiety. While Dhokha received positive reviews upon release, and Muzammil’s performance was praised, the actor said the personal cost was too high. The film also featured Tulip Joshi, Anupam Kher, and Gulshan Grover. As of now, Pooja Bhatt has not responded to these allegations. Muzammil’s revelations bring attention to the emotional toll that toxic work environments can have, especially for newcomers trying to navigate the industry.