Pakistani artist paints Mahesh Bhatt's portrait

Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who turned 67 on Sunday, got a special gift from Pakistan a portrait by a Lahore-based artist.

Mahesh's daughter and filmmaker Pooja took to Twitter to share how a Pakistani artist spent a whole night working on his canvas. She was 'overwhelmed' by his dedication.

"Mohammed Saeed Ghani, a painter from Lahore stayed up all night to paint this portrait of my father! Overwhelming," Pooja tweeted on Sunday.

Not just Mahesh Bhatt's films, but even plays based on his films have been well-received in Pakistan. The filmmaker, who often calls himself a facilitator of the cultural dialogue between India and Pakistan, had earlier told IANS that Bollywood is responsible for reviving the interest in cinema in the neighbouring country.

Giving a sample of his work to the neighbouring country, Mahesh's play based on his 1989 film "Daddy" was staged in Pakistan earlier this year.