Sanjay Leela Bhansali has redefined storytelling with his larger-than-life vision coupled with grand and opulent sets. While some actors who have collaborated with him have lauded him for being a perfectionist, there have also been allegations of him being “short-tempered” and having “anger issues”. In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, actor Shekhar Suman also addressed rumours of Bhansali being a tough taskmaster, by saying that “he’s not a madman, but a perfectionist and you will always notice that perfectionists are always short-tempered.”
However, Bhansali’s niece Sharmin Segal, who plays a pivotal role in Heeramandi, shares a different opinion about the filmmaker. In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, she appears to hit back at Shekhar and says that perfectionist is “a very basic word” to describe Bhansali.
“It’s the kind of a word that an outsider who has never worked with him, been on his set and seen the kind of director that he is will use. He adapts to change very well. He likes challenging himself with different things. For him it’s not about being perfect,” she tells us.
She continues, “He looks for rawness, magic and spontaneity. And if he was only a perfectionist, he wouldn’t have treated spontaneity and instinctiveness the way he does. He really appreciates those things. So, I wouldn’t call him a purely perfectionist person.”
According to Segal, Bhansali’s grit and determination to achieve his vision is often misunderstood, which she believes isn’t fair. “He’s a hardworking man, whose perseverance is unmatched. Therefore, you’ve to give your hundred percent to match up to him and he pushes and expects the same from people around him. He’s delivering his all and churning all the creative juices he has in his mind. ‘Perfectionist’ is a term used to box Sanjay Leela Bhansali but he’s far more than that,” remarks the actor, who had marked her debut with Bhansali’s Malang.
Over the years, questions have also been raised on the working environment on his set as many actors confessed to being victims of his anger and whims. Busting the myth surrounding it, Segal says, “He treats technicians, spot boys and camera people with a lot of respect. Behind the scenes, we don’t acknowledge it [the work put forth by the crew]. Actors are a privileged class. We don’t realise this but the art team and the lighting team come three-four hours before we come to the set and leave only after dismantling everything after we leave.”
Talking about how his crew chose to extend their working hours on the sets of Heeramandi, the recently married actor shares, “That goes unnoticed on most sets. But on Sanjay sir’s set, people are willing to extend their shifts beyond twelve hours by two-three more hours. They do it out of respect for him and for what he’s creating. I don’t see this happening anywhere else. That’s why, I think boiling him down to a ‘temperamental perfectionist’ is a bit basic.”
Heeramandi is all set to premiere on Netflix on May 1.
Comments
0 comment