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Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a multi-talented person who wrote, directed and produced numerous films during his career. He is best known for his films like Devdas (2002), Black (2005), Mary Kom (2014), and Bajirao Mastani (2015) for which he received the National Film Awards. Check out Sanjay Leela Bhansali Wiki, Height, Weight, Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Caste, Family, Biography & More.
Biography/Wiki
Sanjay Leela Bhansali was born on 24 February 1963 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2015. He was a part of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). In 1997, he founded the production company Bhansali Productions and produced several films under his production like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Black (2005), Saawariya (2007), Guzaarish (2010), etc.
Physical Appearance
He is approximately 5’9” tall and weighs around 75 kg. He has dark brown eyes and white hair.
Family, Caste & Girlfriend
He belongs to a Gujarati Kshatriya (Solanki) family and was born to a film producer Navin Bhansali and Leela Bhansali, who used to stitch clothes. He has a sister named Bela Segal.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali with his mother and sister
He was dating the choreographer, Vaibhavi Merchant, with whom he got engaged but later, they got separated.
Career
After completing studies, Sanjay started working as an assistant director and assisted to director Vidhu Vinod Chopra to the films Parinda and 1942: A Love Story. In 1996, he wrote and directed his first film Khamoshi: The Musical which was not successful commercially, but the story of the film received critical acclaim. His second directorial film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam became a huge hit and was screened at the 1999 Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India. His third directorial film Devdas (2002) shown at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and India has submitted this film for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His film Black (2005) received the record-breaking eleven Filmfare awards.
In 2006, he along with Shilpa Shetty and Farah Khan judged the dance reality TV show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Season1 and in 2011, he along with Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam judged the music talent TV show X Factor India.
In 2008, he directed the stage opera Padmavati. The show was premiered at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy where the show received the fifteen minutes of standing ovation and seven curtain calls when the first show ends. In 2010, he wrote, directed, produced and even composed the music for the film Guzaarish. His film Mary Kom (2014) was screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and became the first Hindi film to be screened on the festival’s opening night.
In 2013, he produced the Hindi TV serial Saraswatichandra which received positive reviews, but he left the serial after producing some episodes. His film Bajirao Mastani (2015) became one of the highest-grossing Indian films and also screened at the 2016 International Film Festival of India in the Indian Panorama section. In 2016, he produced his debut Marathi film Laal Ishq.
Controversies
He is involved in some controversies during his film career-
In 2013, some religious people were against his directorial film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela. They claimed that the former title of the film Ramleela was deceptive as there was not even a single part which is related to Ramlila (story of Lord Rama). Delhi High Court issued the film stay orders by claiming that it hurts the hurt the Hindus religious sentiments. The title of the film then changed to Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela and released in India as per the schedule but, the Allahabad High Court banned the film, and the film was not released in Uttar Pradesh.
In January 2017, the members of a Rajput caste organisation Shri Rajput Karni Sena physically attacked him during the shoot of the film Padmaavat, which was initially named as Padmavati claiming that he picturised some wrong facts in the film. They even tried to damage the sets. In March 2017, again some people attacked at the production set in Kolhapur and set fire due to which almost all costumes and pieces of jewellery got burnt.
Awards
National Film Awards
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for Devdas in 2002
- Best Feature Film in Hindi for Black in 2005
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for Mary Kom in 2014
- Best Director for Bajirao Mastani in 2015
- Best Music Director for Padmaavat in 2018
- Best Screenplay and Best Editing for the film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ on 17 October 2023
Filmfare Awards
- Best Film (Critics) for Khamoshi: The Musical in 1997
- Best Film for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 2000
- Best Director for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 2000
- Best Director for Devdas in 2003
- Best Film for Black in 2006
- Best Film (Critics) for Black in 2006
- Best Director for Black in 2006
- Best Film for Bajirao Mastani in 2015
- Best Director for Bajirao Mastani in 2016
- Best Music Director for Padmaavat in 2019
- Best Film for Gangubai Kathiawadi in 2023
- Best Director for Gangubai Kathiawadi in 2023
Facts
- Sanjay Leela Bhansali spends his free time by reading poetry and listening to vintage music.
- Mughal-E-Azam (1960) is his all-time favourite film.
- Mor Bani Thanghat Kare is his favourite Gujarati song, and A.R. Rahman is his favourite musician.
- His favourite actors are Dada Kondke & Dilip Kumar, and his favourite actresses are Helen & Madhuri Dixit.
- In 2019, he received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the film “Padmaavat.”
- His film Gangubai Kathiawadi was included on the list of 301 feature films eligible for Oscars released by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in January 2023.