SRK And Farah Are My Friends: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali blends commercial cinema with art with his latest offering, 'Saawariya', where he introduces Ranvir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor.

Q. Are you nervous about your forthcoming release, 'Saawariya'?
A. Absolutely not. I get nervous before making a movie, not after. I keep thinking, before I make a film, how it will look, what people will say, will it be better than my previous works, etc.All these thoughts make me nervous. However, the satisfaction I get after completing a film is immense. I do not get too excited with the success of a film, nor do I get too disappointed with its failure.

Q. Did the script demand fresh faces, or was there something else on your mind?
A. I have worked with stars in all my films till date. After 'Black', where I worked with Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee, I wondered to myself, "Now what?" I thought I could either make an offbeat film, or return to mainstream stuff.

The appreciation I had received after 'Black' could be sustained only if I got new actors for my next. I challenged myself – I had to make something that was different from all the movies I have directed so far, and so I took the first step towards 'Saawariya'.

The two of them – Ranvir and Sonam – were my assistant directors. However, when they came to work for me, I knew that they were here to act, not do anything else. I had also taken screen tests of both. Working with newcomers makes me feel young all over again.

Q. What are your expectations from Ranvir and Sonam?
A. I would have never signed them on, if I did not see some talent in them. Both are going to go a long way – they are good looking and focused, talented, and willing to learn. It is very important to have intelligence these days, and these two have loads of it.

They are not like other star kids – both of them are not arrogant because of their background. They do not want their parents to be embarrassed because of them, but to be proud of them. That is what makes both Ranvir and Sonam special.

Q. Is there a reason why you gave Monty Sharma a chance with the music, instead of your favourite, Ismail Darbar?
A. I have worked with Monty in 'Devdas' and 'Black' earlier. Since there were new actors and new singers, I saw no harm in getting a new composer.

I wanted fresh music, with passion and integrity. Ismail and I are very close, almost brothers, and that is why he would not take my work seriously, postponing things, etc. I did not want that to happen to this movie.When a person moves away from his work towards the world of glamour, I believe something starts missing from his work, something that used to make him stand apart at one point.