After watching films like Devdas and Khamoshi once again recently, I’ve come to the conclusion that Sanjay Leela Bhansali may be the last link today to past greats like Bimal Roy or Guru Dutt. This is not a frivolous statement. In today’s scenario where filmmakers are more concerned with making it to the 100 crore club than telling stories, he’s someone who cares about the aesthetics of cinema. Yes, his films are lavishly mounted extravagant affairs. Yes, the obtuse use of colours aims a dart at your senses. But beneath the elaborate facade lies a strong emotional core - something that is missing from our films these days.
Take his last release, Ram-leela, a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet for instance. Set amongst the desert landscape of Gujarat, the film looked like a series of paintings held together to form a collage. The tragedy of doomed lovers was intact. While the film segued into melodrama, it retained the poignancy of the original source. He drew power packed performances from not only his leads but from the entire ensemble cast.
One thing that makes us forget the designer potholes in his films is his ability to coax the best out of his actors. He inspires them to give career defining performances like no other modern filmmaker. Take Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for instance. Her best works include Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2002). She gave compelling performances in both films. As the lovelorn Nandini in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, who can’t get over her ex-lover despite being married, her existential crisis felt real, as did her tears. Devdas’ Paro is a character that goes through the whole gamut of love – from the first flush to the height of passion to the pain of separation and the insecurity of sharing that special someone with another. Aishwarya excelled as an actress depicting all those stages. One of the reasons one tends to go back to these films is to watch her bring out the nuances of her characters.
Bhansali is an avid observer of the female psyche and hence his female characters are etched more strongly than his male ones. There is a certain poetry to his women. Their mannerisms are almost dance-like in nature. He raises them to the level of goddesses and manages to bring out their human frailties at the same time. That perhaps, is his greatest strength.
In Bajirao Mastani, he’s working towards bringing to life the delicate balance that existed between Peshwa Bajirao, his paramour Mastani and wife Kashibai. Knowing him, it will be more bright and colourful than a mile long rainbow but would teach us something about love, about life. Can’t wait for its release…