Ranveer Singh and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have worked together in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmaavat.
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali turned 59 on Friday, February 24. On the occasion, Ranveer Singh, who has collaborated with Bhansali on three projects, spoke about the filmmaker and credited him for being the one who has shaped him more than any other ‘creative collaborator’.
He told IANS, “Mr. Bhansali is somebody who has shaped me as an artiste more than any other creative collaborator in my entire life. I used to approach acting a certain way — I used to think ‘mujhe sab pata hai, I know everything’ but Mr. Bhansali stripped down my constructs.”
anveer added, “He (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) broke me down and he made me into ash, so that I could rise from the ashes to be reborn as the artiste that I’ve grown into today. I’m indebted to him lifelong for that.”
Bhansali is known for his lavishly produced movies that enrapture viewers through their attention to detail, costumes, and sets. However, he also has a reputation of being somewhat of a taskmaster, as may be gleaned from Ranveer’s words.
In a panel discussion around the launch of Rahul Rawail’s book Raj Kapoor: The Master At Work in New Delhi last year, Ranbir Kapoor had revealed that when he assisted Bhansali on Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Black, the director ‘hit and abused’ him. He, however, added that that behaviour helped him prepare for the world.
Ranbir said (as quoted by PTI) “When I assisted Mr (Sanjay Leela) Bhansali (on Black), he used to really treat me as an assistant director. I used to be kneeling down for hours, he used to hit us, he used to abuse us… that only hardens you and prepares you for the world.”
Ranbir went on to make his Hindi film debut with Bhansali’s Saawariya in 2007, opposite fellow debutante Sonam Kapoor.
Source: indianexpress.com
