Bhansali's women – conservative but strong
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali presents a very different image of women in his films.
Bhansali's women are not the ones we see in an ordinary Bollywood movie. They don't flaunt their cleavages, don't shake their booty and don't break into titillating item songs. Bhansali's women look traditional and conservative, but they have strong characters.
Not a director who follows the herd mentality, Bhansali has always ornated the beauty rather than body in his films – be it Aishwarya Rai in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or Madhuri Dixit in Devdaas . Beauty in Bhansali's films is covered and, therefore, more appealing.
"My women are strong. But they're also covered, guarded, cherished. My women are strong without screaming about feminism," Bhansali is quoted as saying.
The filmmaker rues the neglect of female shringar in contemporary films.
"Where is the shringar today? The beauty is lost," he adds.
Bhansali's latest heroine Sonam Kapoor is also presented distinctly in his latest film Saawariya . She plays a Muslim girl and wears a veil or ghunghat in most of the scenes. Her costumes are traditional Indian dresses.
In the case of his male actors, too, Bhansali has never made them flaunt their brawns or machismo.
In fact, before shooting 'Saawariya', Bhansali's brief to Ranbir Kapoor was not to work out in gym and make a body for his role.
"I wanted a lean look, a natural look. I don't understand what acting has to do with showing your biceps," says the filmmaker.
Well, there is a thought there. Hope its is not a jab at SRK with his six pack abs.
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