This is a new chapter for me as a filmmaker

Sanjay Leela Bhansali at a meeting of 20 years with Salman Khan first impression of Alia Bhatt and how his next film is a departure from his "dark and intense "

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is not in the mood for an interview. "What to talk about?", He explains a few hours after Salman Khan and Alia Bhatt have confirmed that they will make his next tour, a casting that will make him talk for months. He finally gives in and settles down to answer the following questions:

Twenty Years Later Hum Dil From Chuke Sanam Salman and You Reunite for Inshallah . Share with us the moment when he greeted your film …

It was a beautiful windy evening. We were sitting on the lawn of his home and by the end of the narration, Salman turned to me and said, "When do we start?" That brought me back to my two-hour story and half.
Khamoshi: the musical comedy We were in his room then and he kept looking in the mirror. I wondered if he'd even heard me, but when I finished, he told me exactly what he liked in the story, making me realize he was very keen and he you should not badume anything from him.

We had some problems in the past, but every time we met, even sporadically, we went back to where we had stayed without dwelling on the past and the differences of opinion we might have had. . My love for him is pure, and Salman, once he offers his friendship, even if you do not meet you and do not talk in five years, he is waiting for you. He never told me that he liked a shot, a song or a film I made, but expressed his appreciation of my work to others when he did not need it.

Has it changed since all the years that you know it?

Oh yes, he is today a mega star, totally inaccessible, with the cult status of Rajinikanth sir, but deep inside him, he is still a simple guy with a pure heart and a noble soul. After
Khamoshi ,
Hum Dil From Chuke Sanam and
Saawariya we had to make a movie together, if not 10 more. I am happy
Inshallah has pbaded. From my understanding of him, as a man, actor and superstar, I know it's the right movie to get together. I've been working on it for a year and a half, from three months before
Padmaavat released, not to forget the things that were happening at the time. I wrote and reworked until I felt that everything was ready, then I went to see him. This is my 10th film, I want it to be my best.

How is it different from the films you have made so far?

It's a younger film, the kind I wanted to do for a long time, after all the dark, intense and dramatic films. Life does not only consist of dark nights, it is also beautiful sunny mornings. This is a new chapter for me as a filmmaker.

Is this why you opted for Alia?

Alia is a very young actress with a lot of magic. It fits the role perfectly. When she was nine, she came with her mother (Soni Razdan) to audition for
Black . I saw the spark in his eyes. I told Soni that I would not audition her for the role of a child because I knew she was a Hindi movie heroine. Later, I went to Soni and Mahesh (Bhatt) and told them that I wanted their daughter, but this project did not happen.
Inshallah this one will be a nice trip.

How did you integrate the film about the Pulwama terrorist attack and the Balakot airstrike you produce with Bhushan Kumar, Mahaveer Jain and Abhishek Kapoor?

Mahaveer ji m talked about that important film that needs to be done, not to woo controversies but to document the story. None of us thinks of it as a project and for me, it will be interesting to see what I can bring to the table as a producer and presenter, because I did not shoot a film about our army or the current policy.

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And is the biopic of Sahir Ludhianvi happening?

I will do it. Sahir Saab was one of our most talented poet lyricists, his verses are always inspiring. Bring them back through his love story will be beautiful but also a huge responsibility. It's a difficult film for the screenwriter-director (Jasmeet Reen) too, so I do not want to be in a hurry, but rather the darza it deserves.

And Gangubai with Priyanka Chopra? On Karan Johar's TV show, she said she was shooting another movie with you.

I love history, it's been with me for a long time and I want to make the film. Priyanka and I are in talks.

Is it planned to bring together Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone?

They are special and collaborated with me on three difficult movies –
Goliyon Ki Raasleela … Ram-Leela Bajirao
Mastani and
Padmaavat – which were really epics, in a way that I never wanted to change a single shot. I would like to work with them again at the right time.

Tell us about the four newcomers you pitch, your niece Sharmin Segal in front of Jaaved Jaaferi's son, Meezaan, and Poonam Dhillon's son, Anmol Thakeria, with Miss India International, Jhataleka Malhotra …

Children, they are all so talented and well behaved without a hint of arrogance. So much like Ranbir (Kapoor) and Sonam (Kapoor) who were equally badiduous and supportive. There is already so much pressure on them, so I do not add anything to them by telling them that they have to live up to their parents or go beyond them. I gave them a lot and received a lot in return. I know that they will be big players in the future. For now, it's a joy to see them evolve.

And how much did you grow and evolve as a person and a filmmaker?

Oh, I am so much better today. My first film did not work well and
Sawaariya and
Padmaavat aroused a lot of controversy, but the public and the critics really liked me a lot. My films worked at the box office and were celebrated in competitions, which dispelled the worry of whether I would be seen, heard and accepted as a filmmaker. In addition, working with different actors has made me all steel and iron, I do not let anyone tell me how to make movies, I tell my stories as I want to tell them. And the hunger with which I was born, the quest for excellence, still push me to work 10 to 12 hours a day.