Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali celebrated 25 years in the film industry on Monday, 9 August. Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, who have worked with the filmmaker in Bajirao Mastani, Ram Leela, shared heartfelt notes on the bond they share with him.
Deepika took to Instagram to share a long note thanking Bhansali for giving her golden opportunities to work with him. The actor began by writing, "9th November, 2007.My debut film Om Shanti Om was pitted against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya. And as grateful as I was (And I still am…I cannot think of another female actor who has been launched in the same manner as I was), I also remember thinking to myself at the time, that I would never be good enough…to be a Sanjay Leela Bhansali muse".
"Fast forward to 2012.I was extremely unwell and laid up in bed.I received a call from my management saying “Sanjay Leela Bhansali wants to meet you”. I said, ”What?!”. They said, “Yes!He is doing a film and would really like to meet you”. “I would do cartwheels to go and see him right away, but I can’t get out of bed right now!” I said.The next thing I know, he was on his way to see me!
What ensued in the years that followed was nothing short an ‘iconic partnership’ I believe.And together we’ve created ‘iconic characters’.Characters that have been etched in the minds and hearts of people forever!", she added.
"What I cherish even more though, is the influence our collaboration has had on me personally. I say this without a shadow of a doubt that I wouldn’t be half the person I am today if it wasn’t for Sanjay Leela Bhansali!"Deepika Padukone, Actor
Ranveer Singh's Heartfelt Note For Bhansali
Ranveer Singh, who has collaborated with Bhansali on Ram Leela and Bajirao Mastani, shared two messages on Instagram about what the filmmaker means to him. "My bond with SLB is very deep. I have done my best work with Him. He is a master of his craft and a true artist. Whenever you are directed by him you have a tremendous growth spurt as a performer. He challenges you, he pushes you to deliver a performance that’s visceral, spirited and comes from a place deep within you. He enriches and inspires you. He nurtures his actors and extracts their very best performances", Ranveer wrote in the first message, alongside a photo of the duo from the sets of a film.
Ranveer added that Bhansali challenges his actors to push their boundaries so that they can win the 'hard-fought battle' with their own 'constructs'.
In another note, Ranveer spoke in details about how Bhansali's pursuit of excellence sets him apart. "I often say working with SLB is like a rite of passage for a creative individual. He brings something out in you that even you didn’t know you had and in doing so reveals the real you to your own self".
Bhansali Productions Congratulates Filmmaker
Bhansali Productions shared a video on social media, offering a glimpse into all the movies Sanjay Leela Bhansali has helmed. "Each passing day has been an onset of a new beginning. A journey of a thousand miles wouldn’t have been possible without each one of you. As we celebrate #25YearsOfSLB, we relive every moment of curating these handmade films just for you", a note accompanying the video read.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)