Sanjay Leela Bhansali on working with Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone and others; shares why casting is important to him

In a recent interview, Sanjay Leela Bhansali opened up on working with actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Rani Mukerji and others. The filmmaker recently directed Heeramandi.

Updated on May 20, 2024  |  07:50 PM IST |  248K
SLB on why casting has to be organic; shares work experience with DeepVeer and others
Image Credit: Bhansali Productions/Instagram, Bajirao Mastani - IMDb

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is one of the greatest filmmakers in the industry and he always proves why he is one of a kind through his films. 

In a recent interview, Bhansali opened up about working with Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Madhuri Dixit, Rani Mukerji, and others. He cast Big and Rani in Black while Madhuri was seen in SLB's Devdas and the parents-to-be aced their roles in Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. 

Sanjay Leela Bhansali says casting has to be organic 

During a chat with Galatta Plus, Sanjay Leela Bhansali said that casting has to be very organic in his films. 

He said, “I’ve worked with wonderful actors Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer SinghDeepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit, Rani Mukerji, Amitabh Bachchan. I have been very blessed, Hrithik Roshan, Nana Patekar, they’re all wonderful." Calling Seema Biswas, one of his all-time favorites, he continued, "One of the greatest actors. So I’ve been very, very fortunate.”

The filmmaker also feels that he has a great equation with each one and opines on not repeating the same cast in another film. "They get upset about it or they feel, ‘We give so much to Sanjay for this, why not this one?’ But I feel sometimes the casting is very organic. It has to come from deep within. We are not here to build relationships," he shared. 

Advertisement

Expressing his respect and love for his cast, the director said that more than 90% of them have created magic on the screen and that is why he thinks they give him their best.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali opens up about tawaifs 

During the same interview, Sanjay Leela Bhansali who recently portrayed the lives of courtesans in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, talked about his fascination with courtesans and s*x workers. He feels that they are women who have a lot of enigma, a lot of mystery, and exude a certain kind of power which he finds very interesting to look at.

The filmmaker further added that these women are very interesting as they sing, they dance to express themselves. They understand the art of living, the importance of architecture, the use of fabric, and the kind of jewelry they wear, and are also connoisseurs of art according to Bhansali. Continuing his praise for them, SLB also added, "We are artists. You might call them any name, but I need them). I have to create something that is very enigmatic. Middle-class women in ration line do not fascinate me."

Advertisement

More about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar

The series is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He imparted his majestic signature style to narratives of love and betrayal among courtesans in pre-independence India. The series has been receiving a lot of love for its grandeur and characterizations. 

Speaking about the cast of the series, Manisha Koirala played Mallikajaan, Sonakshi Sinha portrayed the prime antagonist Fareedan, Aditi Rao Hydari was seen acing the role of Bibbojaan, Richa Chadha as Lajjo, Sanjeeda Shaikh as Waheeda, and Sharmin Segal as Alamzeb.

On the other hand, Adhyayan Suman played the role of Zorawar Ali Khan, Shekhar Suman was seen as Zulfiqar Ahmed, Taha Shah Badussha in the role of Tajdar Baloch, and Fardeen Khan as Wali Mohammed. The series already received a lot of love from viewers as well as critics on social media.

Meanwhile, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is currently streaming on Netflix. 

Advertisement

ALSO READ: Sanjay Leela Bhansali on why he finds courtesans fascinating; says 'Middle class women in ration line' don't interest him like tawaifs

Credits: Galatta Plus
Pinkvilla Pulse
Subscribe to our newsletter for entertainment exclusives, star interviews, and the latest lifestyle trends. Look No Further!
Subscribe
About The Author

Arpita Sarkar has 3 years of experience in content writing and editing in the

...

Advertisement

Latest Articles