Sanjay Leela Bhansali is the most talented Indian filmmaker, producer, and music composer who predominantly works in the Hindi film industry. SLB is known for his craft, and he is one of the most successful directors with a lot of remarkable works to his credit, which include Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Saawariya, Guzaarish, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Gangubai Kathiawadi among others. For his amazing talent, the filmmaker was awarded the National Award for the film, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Apart from that, he also bagged ten Filmfare awards and a BAFTA nomination. For his contribution to Indian cinema, SLB was honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri Award back in 2015.
Recently, Sanjay has been capturing all the headlines with his debut web series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, which instantly left a mark in the hearts of everyone since the day it aired on the OTT giant, Netflix. While everyone has been going gaga over Sanjay's professional venture, let us know some unheard anecdotes about his personal life.
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For those who don't know, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was born in a Gujarati Jain family in Bhuleshwar, South Bombay. Just like him, the actor's father was also a producer, but he couldn't achieve the desired success in his career, which made him divulge himself into alcoholism. It was Sanjay's mom, Leela, who had to take responsibility for the family then. Leela took the job of a dancer in the theatre, and she even stitched clothes to support her one-room chawl. The director was brought up in a one-room chawl.
Once, in an old interview with Simi Garewal, Sanjay Leela Bhansali talked about his life in chawl. The director mentioned that it was a living house that had a lot of violence moving around it. Talking more about his early days in chawl, SLB added that he had always known that he would have to step out of that house, and living there was like he would know that if he started dreaming at night, any rat or cockroach would crawl upon him.
In the same interview, the director mentioned that the most endearing moment of while living in that chawl was when they used to turn up the radio, and his mom would dance for them in that small house. The director mentioned that his mom used to sing while cooking food, and they would join her. Sharing that the most endearing moment for him was to see his mother dancing, Sanjay said:
"There were moments when we would switch on the radio and Mom would dance for us in that small house. She would sing always while cooking and then we would all join her. We would all sing and dance and I feel that that image of my mother dancing in the house was the most endearing moment of that house.”
Yet, in another interview, Sanjay Leela Bhansali shared that his mind had always been a filmmaker's mind, so as the room, wherein he lived had no paints on the wall, he often used to think about what colour would suit the wall and his mind was always fascinated with beauty.
For the unversed, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had broken the regular rules of carrying forward his father's name, and instead, he had added his mom, 'Leela's name as his middle name. Sharing the reason behind the same, Sanjay Leela Bhansali said that he had done this as a token of gratitude to the woman who had done a lot for him. The director said that it's not enough for any son or daughter to say thank you to their parents. Hence, he has taken the entire name of his mother and added it to his own name. Talking about his relationship with his father, Sanjay, in an interview with Simi Garewal, mentioned it as 'incomplete'. For those who don't know, Sanjay's father was an alcoholic and died of cirrhosis.
One of the most important figures of Indian cinema, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, began his career as an assistant to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and worked in the films, Pharinde and 1942 A Love Story. However, Sanjay had a fallout with Vindhu Vinod Chopra as the former refused to direct the movie, and instead made his debut as a director in Khamoshi: The Musical. Although, his first movie couldn't do well at the box office, his second film, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, brought him immense fame and recognition.
Since then, the director didn't have to look back as he continued to do wonder on the silver screens. Most of his films, like Devdas and Gangubai Kathiawadi, talk about the lives of the courtesans. Once, in an interview with Film Companion, Bhansali stated the reason behind the same. He mentioned that people are often sensitive about what they see in their childhood. Talking more about the same, SLB stated:
"You’re sensitive to what you see as a child. How can a person’s rate be Rs 20? These were the things that stayed in my mind. But I could not tell them completely. I was finding them through Chandramukh... We are priceless for ourselves; we can’t be tagged. We can’t be sold for Rs 5 or Rs 20, or Rs 50. It is inhuman."
Sanjay Leela Bhansali keeps his personal life away from the public eye and lets his movies do all the talking. However, there was once a rumour about the director falling in love with popular choreographer, Vaibhavi Merchant. The duo met on the sets of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and they were reportedly involved in a romantic relationship. There were rumours that the ex-couple had even exchanged rings in a low-key ceremony. While everyone was waiting for the wedding announcement, it was again reported that the duo had parted ways reportedly because of unsorted personal differences.
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Back in 2012, in an interview with Siasat.com, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was asked about his relationship status and plans of getting married. To this, the director mentioned that love simply doesn't have anything to do with age, and it can strike people at any age, be it 40 or 85, and he believes in his sister Bela Segal's concept of love. Sanjay could be quoted as saying:
"I love Bela's (Sanjay Leela Bhansali's sister, Bela Segal) concept of love striking two people who are seen as past the age of marriage. Love can strike at 45 or 85. I am 49, and I am still waiting for love to happen."
Well, SLB truly inspires many, and we hope he continues to impress us with his unparalleled work on the silver screen.
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