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'Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra never responded to my calls', says Ismail Darbar as he opens up on financial struggles and fallout with Bhansali
Music composer Ismail Darbar revealed that after his fallout with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, producers Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra didn’t respond to his calls, leaving him without major Bollywood work.
Music composer Ismail Darbar, known for creating memorable soundtracks for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas, recently opened up about the struggles he faced after his fallout with the filmmaker. Darbar said that his career took a hit after the split, and despite reaching out to leading Bollywood producers Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra, he received no response.
In a candid interview with Vickey Lalwani, Ismail Darbar said, “I tried 15 years ago. I called up and sent messages to Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra; I don’t have a problem taking their names. Their response was such that I cannot even call it a response; we might as well say that they never responded.”
He added that despite several attempts to reconnect with the industry, he didn’t get the kind of work he expected. “They are approaching me, but not with offers worthy of me,” Darbar said.
Ismail Darbar on fallout with Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Darbar also spoke at length about his broken relationship with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, saying that it cost him many professional opportunities. He claimed that Bhansali became insecure about the success of his films being credited to the music. “He played with my emotions for years and took advantage of me,” Darbar said.
Talking about his last project with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Netflix’s Heeramandi, Ismail Darbar shared that the experience opened his eyes. He said he had worked on the series for over a year but decided to step away when he realised he was about to be fired over a misunderstanding. According to Darbar, the issue began after a news report described him as “the biggest star of the project,” which reportedly upset Bhansali.
Speaking about his financial condition, Darbar admitted that his finances were affected due to the lack of work but mentioned that he never had to borrow money to survive. He said that despite facing tough times, he always maintained his lifestyle.
He also recalled how Bhansali often asked him how he managed to sustain himself financially, to which he would respond that God takes care of everyone, and one family is not difficult to look after. Darbar added that while people remain concerned about his finances, his lifestyle has only improved over time.
