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Padmaavat: Sanjay Leela Bhansali recalls not 'budging' after facing ‘physical and mental attacks’ during shoot; ‘I am made of iron and steel’
Sanjay Leela Bhansali recently recalled how protestors attacked him when he was making Padmaavat, but as a filmmaker, he was still determined to make the film.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali faced opposition from various organizations when he was filming for Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh starrer Padmaavat. Recently, the filmmaker recalled the difficult time when he was physically attacked on his set and revealed how he never let any of it show on screen. Bhansali revealed that the very next day post attack, he wanted to go and shoot at the same place, but his crew were surprised and asked him if he was out of his mind.
In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Sanjay Leela Bhansali discussed his approach to making grand films with big sets, expensive costumes, and popular actors. He shared that he believes he is “the most impractical, self-destructive filmmaker” and has received criticism for making big-budget films like Devdas in the past.
SLB recalled making his film Padmaavat, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh. After he announced about making the film, several right-wing organizations were unhappy about it since the film narrated the story of a Rajput queen.
The script was based on an epic poem, Padmaavat, by a 16th-century poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi. But, the protestors felt he was changing and twisting the historical facts in the film. As a result, the sets of Padmaavat and Bhansali himself were attacked multiple times. But he was still determined to complete his project.
Recalling the same, he said, “During Padmaavat, I faced a barrage of attacks—physical, mental, emotional. But I never let any of it show on screen. I am made of iron and steel; I’m not budging. Do whatever you want.”
Sanjay Leela Bhansali was attacked at Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan, by the members of Karni Sena when he was filming at the venue. However, as an artist, he was ready to go back where he was humiliated and continue his work.
He said, “After we were attacked, people asked me, ‘Where will you put the camera tomorrow?’ I responded, ‘Should we go to that place?’ They told me, ‘Are you out of your mind? You were just humiliated.’ But I believe that every artist must endure humiliation. If you aren’t angry about what’s right and wrong, you lack true expression.”
Apart from physical attacks, several cases were filed in court against Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his team members for Padmaavat. It also led to a delay in its release. Later, the film was released in January 2018 and became a hit by earning Rs 600 crore at the box office.
