Sanjay Leela Bhansali shares his first childhood experience at a shoot

Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who recently announced his digital debut with the Netflix series 'Heeramandi', shared his childhood memory of watching a film shoot that inspired him to become a filmmaker. In an interview on Netflix India's Tudum Spotlight, the director talked about 'Heeramandi' as a story of courtesans and the politics within the brothels during pre-independent India.

Sharing his childhood memory, Bhansali said, "I remember when I was a four-year-old kid and my father had taken me to a shoot and he said you sit here and I'll meet my friends and come. I was in the studio and it seemed the most comfortable to me. More than a school, a playground, a cousin's house, or anywhere in the world, I thought it was the most beautiful place. When I look back at 25 years, I think it's very precious to me because you have to be blessed to be able to get a chance to make a film and that's why I cling to the studio because the studio floor is the most magical, that's my temple, that's my everything."

Reminiscing his fond memories of being in the theatre which used to screen films through projectors, the director further shares, "I still, as a child, remember going to a theatre and watching those projectors used to have a beam of light that falls on the screen, across with my, my mind would never be there. My mind would be here and ghost particles float into it and say, okay, one day, my story will float." Elated to have fulfilled his childhood dream and making a global mark with his cinema, the director is looking forward to making more incredible stories for everyone, " I think nine films I have made and making the 10th one. It's been 25 years and I hope 25 years more."

Coming back to 'Heeramandi', he added, "'Heeramandi' was something that my friend Moin Baig got to me as a 14-page story, 14 years ago and then finally when we presented it to Netflix, they loved it and they thought it had great potential to make a mega-series. It is very ambitious, it's very big and vast. It tells you the story of courtesans. They kept music, poetry and dance and the art of living. It shows the politics within the brothels and how to emerge as the winner. It is a difficult one but I hope we come across with flying colours this time." The director has two much-anticipated releases which include the theatrical release of 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' starring Alia Bhatt and the ambitious project on the courtesans pre-independence titled 'Heeramandi' for Netflix. The cast of the OTT project has not been revealed yet.

Also read: Sanjay Leela Bhansali to create magic once again with 'Heeramandi'

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