Alia Bhatt’s collaboration with renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, filled with moments of anticipation, disappointment, and ultimately, triumph. As they prepare for their second collaboration on Love and War, Bhansali shared the emotional turmoil Alia faced during their first planned project, Inshallah, which was meant to star Alia alongside Salman Khan.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Bhansali opened up about the intense disappointment Alia went through when Inshallah fell apart. He recalled how she “ranted and raved, locked herself in a room,” deeply affected by the project’s cancellation. “She broke down, she cracked up, she cried,” Bhansali said, emphasizing how much the opportunity meant to her, especially after Alia had already solidified her place as one of Bollywood’s top stars by that time.
After a week of silence, Bhansali approached Alia with a new opportunity — the role of Gangubai in Gangubai Kathiawadi. At first, Alia was hesitant, unsure how she could transition from a modern character in Los Angeles to a strong-willed woman in Kamathipura. “I don’t know this character,” she expressed her doubts. But Bhansali saw something in her that others did not. “I will tap into that strong woman in you, because I can see it in your eyes,” he told her.
His belief in her talent paid off. Alia threw herself into the role, with Bhansali revealing that, even today, she sometimes speaks like Gangubai. The film became one of the early successes during the pandemic, further cementing Alia’s position in the industry.
Reflecting on their work together, Alia once told Vogue Singapore, “Once you walk out of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set, you’re no longer the same person. Like Ranveer [Singh] says, you’ve been ‘Bhansali-fied.’” Their relationship, defined by mutual trust and creativity, has now evolved into a bond that has led to another exciting collaboration in Love and War.
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