Posted:
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is laughing all
the way to the bank with the box office
success of "Padmaavat, says there were
enough reasons for him to drop the film but
he never thought of quitting. Bhansali, who
has called the film his career's most
"anxious release, says he faced hurdles
right from the beginning and had three
other stories that could have made it to the
screens but Padmaavat' was always special.
Referring to 1988's "Bharat Ek Khoj, which
had an episode on Padmavati and Alaudin
Khilji, he said the atmosphere then "was
nicer, more creative, more liberal but no
filmmaker should lose hope.
The sets of "Padmaavat were vandalised
twice and nation wide protests from Rajput
groups, who said the film distorted history
and defamed their queen Padmini, resulted
in a delay in release. Excerpts from an
interview with the director: (ALSO
READ: Sanjay Leela Bhansali defends the
Jauhar scene in Padmaavat, calls it an act
of war )
Q) You were the assistant editor on Shyam
Benegal's TV series, "Bharat Ek Khoj. In one
of the episodes, Om Puri played the part of
Alauddin Khilji. Do you remember that time?
A) It was a huge project and they shot
throughout the year. Shyam Babu being one
of my favourite directors, I learnt so much. I
remember being there on that episode, in
1988.
Q) Were there any references that you drew
from Om Puri's part for Ranveer Singh?
A) No... The only thing was there was no
protest when people saw it. There was
nothing being said about Padmavati or
Alauddin Khilji. There was a film made in
1964 called "Rani Padmini, there were no
objections even then. I don't know why it
happened now. (ALSO READ: Heres who
recommended Aditi Rao Hydari for
Padmaavat )
Q) Do you think people were more liberal
then?
A) I feel the overall atmosphere was nicer,
more creative, more liberal. Now, jo hai so
hai... (But) no filmmaker should lose hope. If
tomorrow, another filmmaker goes through
the same experience as I have gone
through, he must never give up or stop
fighting. I think we filmmakers love our films
so much that in any case we will never give
up fighting... Truth prevails, even if it is four
months late. I had so many reasons (to give
up), may be even before the problem
started... the casting was not falling in place.
There were so many reasons I should have
got up and said, we will talk about this film
some other time, let's leave it for now', but I
didn't. I went on and achieved what I
wanted to and that's what filmmakers need
to understand that sometimes
circumstances are not favourable to you, but
you should keep fighting.
Q) Will you continue to make historical films
given the problems you faced with this one?
A) I don't know if one would decide to say
that I will give up making period films
because I don't want to go through this
again. Each story has its own destiny.
Sometimes things happen which are beyond
your control, you can't help them. But I
would only make a film which comes to my
heart, whether it is a contemporary film or a
period film. I don't plan. I wrote three
stories before I decided to make
"Padmaavat. The whole office was geared
to make the other films, all the research was
done, homework done and I said no, we are
making "Padmaavat. Suddenly, it all
changed. So I am spontaneous. What comes
from the heart, I make it, without worrying
about the future or the past.
http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/sanjay-leela-bhansali-no-one-objected-to-rani-padmini-which-released-in-1964/.
the way to the bank with the box office
success of "Padmaavat, says there were
enough reasons for him to drop the film but
he never thought of quitting. Bhansali, who
has called the film his career's most
"anxious release, says he faced hurdles
right from the beginning and had three
other stories that could have made it to the
screens but Padmaavat' was always special.
Referring to 1988's "Bharat Ek Khoj, which
had an episode on Padmavati and Alaudin
Khilji, he said the atmosphere then "was
nicer, more creative, more liberal but no
filmmaker should lose hope.
The sets of "Padmaavat were vandalised
twice and nation wide protests from Rajput
groups, who said the film distorted history
and defamed their queen Padmini, resulted
in a delay in release. Excerpts from an
interview with the director: (ALSO
READ: Sanjay Leela Bhansali defends the
Jauhar scene in Padmaavat, calls it an act
of war )
Q) You were the assistant editor on Shyam
Benegal's TV series, "Bharat Ek Khoj. In one
of the episodes, Om Puri played the part of
Alauddin Khilji. Do you remember that time?
A) It was a huge project and they shot
throughout the year. Shyam Babu being one
of my favourite directors, I learnt so much. I
remember being there on that episode, in
1988.
Q) Were there any references that you drew
from Om Puri's part for Ranveer Singh?
A) No... The only thing was there was no
protest when people saw it. There was
nothing being said about Padmavati or
Alauddin Khilji. There was a film made in
1964 called "Rani Padmini, there were no
objections even then. I don't know why it
happened now. (ALSO READ: Heres who
recommended Aditi Rao Hydari for
Padmaavat )
Q) Do you think people were more liberal
then?
A) I feel the overall atmosphere was nicer,
more creative, more liberal. Now, jo hai so
hai... (But) no filmmaker should lose hope. If
tomorrow, another filmmaker goes through
the same experience as I have gone
through, he must never give up or stop
fighting. I think we filmmakers love our films
so much that in any case we will never give
up fighting... Truth prevails, even if it is four
months late. I had so many reasons (to give
up), may be even before the problem
started... the casting was not falling in place.
There were so many reasons I should have
got up and said, we will talk about this film
some other time, let's leave it for now', but I
didn't. I went on and achieved what I
wanted to and that's what filmmakers need
to understand that sometimes
circumstances are not favourable to you, but
you should keep fighting.
Q) Will you continue to make historical films
given the problems you faced with this one?
A) I don't know if one would decide to say
that I will give up making period films
because I don't want to go through this
again. Each story has its own destiny.
Sometimes things happen which are beyond
your control, you can't help them. But I
would only make a film which comes to my
heart, whether it is a contemporary film or a
period film. I don't plan. I wrote three
stories before I decided to make
"Padmaavat. The whole office was geared
to make the other films, all the research was
done, homework done and I said no, we are
making "Padmaavat. Suddenly, it all
changed. So I am spontaneous. What comes
from the heart, I make it, without worrying
about the future or the past.
http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/sanjay-leela-bhansali-no-one-objected-to-rani-padmini-which-released-in-1964/.
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