Lekh Tandon’s ‘Amrapali’ Inspired Padmavati & Bajirao: Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali on how Lekh Tandon’s ‘Amrapali’ was his reference point for ‘Bajirao Mastani’ and ‘Padmavati’.

Priyanka Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone on the sets of Bajirao Mastani.

(Photo courtesy: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions)

One of Bollywood’s most underrated directors passed away quietly at the age of 88. Lekh Tandon gave us a slim slew of scintillating cinema starting with the blockbuster Professor in 1962. The oddball comedy paired Shammi Kapoor with Lalita Pawar, of all people! Many decades later Reema Rakeshnath remade Tandon’s blockbuster, rather shabbily, as Dil Tera Aashiq.

Perhaps Tandon’s most celebrated film was the historical Amrapali (1966) that recreated the legendary romance between Amrapali the courtesan, played by Vyjanthimala, and  Ajayshatru the emperor of Magadh, played by Sunil Dutt. The film’s opulence and periodicity had stunned the world then as it continues to do now.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali an ardent admirer of Lekh Tandon’s work says,

Amrapali inspired my historicals Bajirao <i>Mastani</i> and <i>Padmavati.</i> The way he recreated the war scenes, and especially the way he presented the amazing Vyjanthimala <i>ji</i> in&nbsp; those incredible songs like <i>Tumhe Y</i><i>aad</i><i> Karte Karte, Jao Re Jogi Tum Jao Re, Tadap Yeh Din Raat Ki </i>and <i>Neel Gagan Ki Chaon Mein</i>, were definitely my reference points for Deepika Padukone in <i>Bajirao Mastani </i>and <i>Padmavati</i>.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Filmmaker

Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the sets of Bajirao Mastani. (Photo courtesy: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions)

Also Read: ‘Amrapali’ Director Lekh Tandon Passes Away at 88

After  directing the  much-loved musical Jhuk Gaya Aasman (Rajendra Kumar-Saira Banu in an afterlife comedy), Prince (bringing together the Professor hero Shammi Kapoor with Vyjanthimala for the first and the last time) Lekh Tandon directed Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaye in 1977.

Film Poster: Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye

The small-budget  film starring two newcomers Prem Kishen (actor Premnath’s son) and Rameshwari Talluri became the biggest hit in the history of Rajshri Productions. If we look at its austere budget and staggering profits, Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaye was even bigger than Rajshri’s Hum Aapke Hain Koun.

Bengali legend Victor Banerjee, who worked with Lekh Tandon in Doosri Dulhan, remembers him fondly-

I owe my living happily in Mussoorie to Lekh Tandon and <i>Professor</i> is one of the very few Hindi films I’ve seen and I absolutely loved its tomfoolery. But, Lekh <i>ji</i> was also a follower of Sri Ram Krishna Paramahansa and hence a deeper individual than he let on to be.

Victor Banerjee, Actor

Lekh Tandon with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Swades. (Photo courtesy: Twitter)

After the hit Agar Tum Na Hote (1983)  Lekh Tandon kept a low profile as a director choosing to act in films like Ashutosh Gowariker’s Swades, Amol Palekar’s Paheli and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti.

Shabana Azmi, who did  two remarkable films with Lekh Tandon, says-

Sad to hear he has passed away. But what is wonderful is that he did so with his boots on. He was working in his latest film with the enthusiasm of a newcomer. I did two lovely films with him <i>Ek Baar Kaho</i> and <i>Doosri Dulhan</i>, a film way before its time on surrogacy. Shekhar Kapur often says that he learned a lot from Lekh <i>ji</i>. He was an underrated filmmaker.

Shabana Azmi, Actor