Happy birthday, Sanjay Leela Bhansali: When Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan heaped praises for the filmmaker

By Pramod Gaikwad
| Updated: February 24 2021, 09:41 AM IST

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Bhansali turns a year older today — Image credit: Instagram

Bhansali turns a year older today

Who would have imagined that Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the boy from a chawl, will grow up to become an extravagant filmmaker who will bring his grandeur on the celluloid. From Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas to Padmaavat and now Gangubai Kathiawadi, no other filmmaker has been able to match his lavish epics till date. And those who tried, have never tasted the same success as Bhansali who keeps an eye on every minor detail while filming. Apart from all the grandeur, Bhansali's real essence is in his music. He made his debut as a musician in Guzaarish and then went on to compose soundtracks for Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat. He is also someone who will allow his actors to put their teeth into their characters and let them bring out their creativity on the big screen. It is perhaps the reason why the filmmaker is adored by the actors whom he has worked with. As Bhansali turns a year older today, let's revisit the times when his actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh showered praises upon him.

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Shah Rukh Khan — Image credit: Instagram

Shah Rukh Khan

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a fantastic director and he always has lots of stories to tell. He loves both me and Salman. He comes and tells me all his stories, lekin yeh waali abhi tak bataya nahi hai usne (smiles). The only film that I have committed to doing right now is Mr Mahesh Mathai's Rakesh Sharma biopic (tentatively titled Salute).

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan — Image credit: Instagram

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

“I loved to watch her emerge from the van and walk to the sets of Devdas. I liked to watch her nakhra, her cham-cham. She comes alive when she puts on makeup, when she makes notes in her van, when she asks me questions. She has a beautiful face but her mind is more beautiful,” Sanjay Leela Bhansali had said. To this, Aishwarya replied, “I hear Sanjay has said in an interview that he cast me as Paro because he could see, in my eyes, the personal pain that I was going through. I just hope he’s happy with my Paro.”

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Deepika Padukone — Image credit: Instagram

Deepika Padukone

There are advantages and challenges of working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. As an actor, he brings out the best in me. For an actor, there is no better feeling creatively. The way he pushes you, challenges you, I think for me these are the things that drive me to do a Bhansali film. It's difficult for me and him to bring something new each time. It's an amazing collaboration. But it's up to him to bring out something new from me and Ranveer Singh, and for us as actors to do something different each time.

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Ranveer Singh — Image credit: Instagram

Ranveer Singh

When I try to describe the way he (Bhansali) is with actors, I run out of words. It’s truly inexplicable the way he manages to extract great performances from his actors. It’s just a gift that he has. I truly regard him as one of the greatest filmmakers of Hindi cinema in all time. His form and flamboyance are unique to him and there are some things that only he can do.”

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Salman Khan — Image credit: Instagram

Salman Khan

Sanjay was a friend even before we started working on Khamoshi. He had come to meet me through Manisha Koirala. After that, we collaborated on Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. When he came to me with this film, I liked it and we decided to work together again. One thing I can say is that Sanjay won’t do gaddaari with his film. I want him to make the film he wants to make. Nothing changes between us as friends and I’m sure nothing has changed in Sanjay’s heart for me. I’m extremely close to his mother (Leela) and sister (Bela). I wish him all the best. He and I will still work in future on a film, Inshallah.”