Hidden in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s diary for years

Find out what’s hidden in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s diary for years

He is known for films that are usually made on a larger than life scale with grandeur and opulence being a common factor. Whether it was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or Ram Leela or Bajirao Mastani or now Padmaavat, the sheer grandeur of his films have left the audience awestruck. From costumes to the lavish sets, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has time and again gone beyond the call of duty when it comes to the amount of hard work he puts in for his films. But the director has an interesting tale to tell when it comes to concepts that inspire him to do these films.

It is a known fact that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is fond of historic tales and the director-producer made his most ambitious film Bajirao Mastani in 2015 but interestingly the film was supposed to be made years ago after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999. What took him so long was the perfect cast that he always required to portray such strong characters. He went on to make the film with a stellar cast of Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra. However, the script was quite old. If you ever wonder how the filmmaker preserved his script for years, then let us tell you that it held a special place in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s diary.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali himself confessed in one of the recent editions of the magazine Filmfare, wherein he revealed that he holds a treasure of stories written on a diary that is hidden in his cupboard. He also went on to express his dream of turning them all into films one day. He said, “Through the years, there are so many stories that I have written in my diary, which lies hidden in my cupboard. Nobody knows about those countless stories. When I go through them I wonder, ‘Oh God, when will I ever make them?’ Imagine the films I could make.”

The filmmaker asserted that he doesn’t have to look too much for inspiration as his diary is his biggest source of inspiration. “I have no hesitation in saying that beyond these jottings, I don’t have to look elsewhere to get motivated,” he added.

Gearing up for yet another ambitious venture is Sanjay Leela Bhansali with the release of Padmaavat today on January 24. The film features his favourite couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh as the protagonist and antagonist respectively along with Shahid Kapoor.