Rajeev is a star: Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who has worked with likes of established stars like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan and who introduced Ranbir Kapoor in

Sanjay Bhansali

Saawariya, has made a startling prophecy about Rajeev Khandelwal, who stars in his forthcoming film, Chenaab Gandhi. Bhansali said, "Rajeev is the star of tomorrow. He exudes that feeling of confidence that suggests stardom."

Bhansali, who is known to work only with actors he's convinced about, signed on Rajeev without seeing a single shot of the actor. "It was my mother who recommended Rajeev. She had seen him in an Ekta Kapoor serial. I had never watched any of Rajeev's work, not even his film Aamir. I needed someone who can speak Hindi and Urdu fluently. Not too many of the younger generation actors can do that," said Bhansali.

The only hitch was Rajeev's chemistry with the film's leading lady Vidya Balan, which apparently the actor himself wasn't too sure of. "But when we did a photo session with Rajeev and Vidya, they looked as compatible as Aishwarya did with Salman and Shah Rukh in my Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas, respectively. Of course, I left the final decision to my director Vibhu Puri," said Bhansali.