Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Ranveer-Deepika: “They were destined to be close”

It can be said that Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone got together thank to one man: Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Their closeness came about when they were told to spend time with each other before shooting for ��Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela�۪ together in 2013. When Bhansali was asked about this, he said it was destiny.

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Talking to Filmfare in an interview, the filmmaker said, ���Ranveer and Deepika got close not because they worked in my films but because they were destined to be close. They have certain understanding and chemistry, which is why they are together. I�۪ve never asked them if they are together. My job is to look at them like Bajirao and Mastani, Ram and Leela.�۝

He spoke about the difficulty in convincing Priyanka Chopra to play Kashibai in ��Bajirao Mastani�۪ (2016), ���Yes, it was because it was about Bajirao and Mastani. We discussed and we brainstormed. She understood it was a powerful role though it was not a title role. But it was audience friendly. Kashi allows her husband to go where his love was. Priyanka had faith that I�۪d would be doing something special with her, which we discovered as we shot. When she saw BM on screen, she drove 45 minutes to my friend�۪s house just to hug me. She said, ���Thank God! I did this film and thank you for making this film.�۝ I said the same to her.�۝

He also touched on whether box office success matters, ���Yes, absolutely. Having said that I�۪m not new to failure nor am I new to success. My first film Khamoshi was a failure. After that nothing can rattle me. If I could take that, then I can take anything. I remember they called it the Razia Sultan of the �۪90s. But one must remember that cinema is an expensive art. You invest a lot of money in it. However pure and esoteric your idea of making a film is, it�۪s still an expensive business. There�۪s an audience paying to buy the ticket. It has to work. When Saawariya didn�۪t work, it hurt. I failed to make a film, which connected with the audience. Box-office success also brings in money to make your next film. If you don�۪t deliver, people will hesitate to put money on you.�۝

Bhansali is said to be working on his next film which is thought will be a film about Sahir Ludhianvi�۪s love affair with Amrita Pritam.

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