Sanjay Leela Bhansali on his relationship with Salman Khan

Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Salman Khan have shared a turbulent relationship over the years. ��Having been extremely close friends at one point, the filmmaker and superstar have now not spoken to each other in half a decade. ��However, Bhansali still claims Khan is his favourite.

Speaking to��PTI, Bhansali said, “Salman is my favourite even if I have not met him or spoken to him in the last five years, but I have a special bond with him. He has done a lot for me and I am grateful to him for many things in life.”

Khan featured in Bhansali’s first film, ‘Khamoshi’ (1996), as well as ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ (1999) and ‘Saawariya’ (2007). ��He was also the original choice to play Bajirao in the filmmaker’s recently released ‘Bajirao Mastani’ when the film was first announced in 2003, though Ranveer Singh eventually essayed the role.

On Khan being replaced in ‘Bajirao Mastani’, Bhansali added, “I think Salman will be happy to see that I have fulfilled my dream. He is beyond films. He is a cult today. He just stands in a film and the film will do Rs 300 crore (business). It doesn’t matter to him if he has done ‘Bajirao Mastani’ or not.”

It can be noted that Khan and Bhansali’s relationship soured when the actor went on record to speak negatively about Bhansali’s ‘Guzaarish’ (2010).

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