Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Introduction

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a true jack-of-all-trades in the film industry. He is a producer, director, and writer of many successful films throughout his career. Some of his most renowned works include Black (2005), Mary Kom (2014), Devdas (2002), and Bajirao Mastani (2015), which earned him the National Film Awards.

Early Life and Background

Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the famous director, was born on February 24, 1963, in Bhuleshwar, South Bombay, to a Gujarati Jain family. His mother, Leela, used to sew clothes. Since Sanjay's father, Navin Bhansali, worked as a film producer, Sanjay grew up surrounded by actors and directors. He developed a deep fascination for directing at a young age, even deciding on his future profession in the second grade. However, knowing the challenges of the film industry, Sanjay's father advised him to consider pursuing a career in a different field.

His sister, Bela Bhansali Sehgal, is a director, and she directed the film "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi," for which he wrote the script. Bela's daughter, Sharmin Segal, made her acting debut in his production Malaal in 2019, where he also contributed as a composer and writer.

Relationship

He was in a relationship with the choreographer, Vaibhavi Merchant, and they even got engaged. However, they decided to go their own separate ways.

Career

Bhansali kickstarted his career as an assistant to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and worked on Parinda (1989), A Love Story (1994), Kareeb (1998). However, they had a falling out when Bhansali decided not to direct Kareeb. In year 1996, he made his directorial debut with Khamoshi: The Musical, a critically acclaimed film that unfortunately didn't do well at the box office. This movie tells the story of a daughter struggling to communicate with her deaf parents. It received 5 Filmfare Awards, including Best Film (Critics).

Bhansali gained fame in Bollywood with the romantic musical Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). Starring Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgn, the film showcased Bhansali's unique style of creating visually stunning and festive atmospheres. It was screened at the International Film Festival of India (1999) and received critical acclaim commercial success. The movie won numerous accoladesAfter the great success of "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam," Bhansali directed Devdas, a period romantic drama starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit. It became the highest-grossing movie of the year and received critical acclaim. Devdas won numerous awards, including 10 at Filmfare and 5 at the National Film Awards. Bhansali's next film, Black, starring Amitabh Bachchan with Rani Mukerji, also achieved great success, earning 11 Filmfare Awards. Bhansali was recognized for his work with multiple Best Film and Best Director awards. He also served as a judge on the reality show "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa" in 2006.

Bhansali's next film, Saawariya (2007), didn't do well at the box office and faced criticism. However, in 2008, he received high praise for staging the opera Padmavati, which premiered in Paris and received standing ovations from the audience.

In 2010, Bhansali directed a film called Guzaarish, which featured Hrithik Roshan Aishwarya Rai. It was his first movie where he worked as a music director. While the film got mixed reviews, it didn't do well at the box office. Bhansali was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Director for Guzaarish. He also became a judge on the music talent show X Factor India Season 1 in 2011. That same year, he produced the comedy film My Friend Pinto, which unfortunately didn't do well at the box office. In the year 2012, Bhansali produced Rowdy Rathore, a remake of a Telugu film, which was a commercial success. The next year, he produced Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi, which received mixed reviews and didn't perform well at the box office.

Bhansali's film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) was based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was a big success, earning over 100 Crore INR and becoming Deepika Padukone's fourth blockbuster of the year. Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's pairing proved lucky for Bhansali once again. He received the National Award for Best Director for his movie Bajirao Mastani(2016). Interestingly, Bhansali announced the film in 2003, but it took him around 11 years to finalize the project.

Awards

- In 2002, "Devdas" received the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

- "Black" received the Best Feature Film in Hindi award in 2005.

- "Mary Kom" was honored with the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment in 2014.

- The director of "Bajirao Mastani" was recognized with the Best Director award in 2015.

- "Padmaavat" secured the Best Music Director award in 2018.

- The film "Gangubai Kathiawadi" received accolades for Best Screenplay and Best Editing on October 17, 2023.

Controversies

• In 2013, some religious folks had a problem with the movie Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. They thought the original title, Ramleela, was misleading because it didn't have anything to do with the story of Lord Rama. The Delhi High Court even issued a stay order, saying it hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. So, they changed the title to Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela and released it in India as planned. But then the Allahabad High Court banned the film so that it couldn't be released in Uttar Pradesh.
• In early 2017, there was a lot of drama surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmaavat. There were reports that Bhansali was attacked by members of the 'Shri Rajput Karni Sena' while filming in Jaipur. The community was upset about rumors of love scenes between Padmaavat (Deepika Padukone) Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh). But Bhansali clarified that those rumors were just gossip and not true. He even reached out to the community, sending them a letter asking for their support and cooperation.
• In November 2017, the release of Padmaavat faced a lot of opposition from the Shri Rajput Karni Sena. They were upset about the alleged distortion of history regarding Rajput queen Padmini shown in the film's trailer. The film was scheduled to premiere on December 1, 2017, but there were changes in the release date. However, due to protests by the Rajput community and security concerns raised by state governments, the release was delayed in order to make necessary changes to the film. After the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) recommended five changes, including a title change from 'Padmavati' to 'Padmaavat,' modifications in the song 'Ghoomar,' and alterations in references to historical places, the film was finally given the green light and scheduled for release on January 25, 2018.

Facts about Sanjay Leela Bhansali

• Bhansali tends to be more of an introvert, so you won't often see him at Bollywood parties and events.
• He is fond of Gujarati culture, including food, music, literature, and architecture.
• His top pick for all-time favorite movies is Mughal-E-Azam (1960).
• He absolutely loves the Gujarati song Mor Bani Thanghat Kare, and his favorite musician is A.R. Rahman.
• When it comes to actors, he adores Dada Kondke and Dilip Kumar, while his favorite actresses are Helen and Madhuri Dixit.

Conclusion

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a visionary filmmaker in Indian cinema. He tells captivating stories that touch the hearts of audiences around the world. With his unique directing style and talent for creating emotionally powerful narratives, Bhansali has made a lasting impact on Bollywood. Despite facing controversies and difficulties, his passion for his work and his ability to create visually breathtaking films have established him as an iconic figure in the Indian film industry.