Saawariya Turns 17: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Says ‘Wouldn’t Change Anything, Except…’ | EXCLUSIVE
When Saawariya was released on November 9, 2007, the audience was flummoxed. It had never seen anything like this before. The entire love story unfolded in a dream world bathed in the colour blue. Jokes about Saawariya being a “blue film” filtered out of the theatre.
The debutant Ranbir Kapoor’s father Rishi Kapoor was very angry and upset with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, SLB wouldn’t show a single frame of Rishi’s son’s debut film to anyone before release. Rishi repeatedly asked SLB to show it to him. SLB would send a message back through Ranbir’s mother Neetu Kapoor that it wasn’t ready.
When Rishi finally saw the film he was stumped and then angry. He thought the film would destroy his son’s career. Eventually he came around. Rishi admitted he had made a mistake in evaluating Saawariya.
“He wasn’t the only one,” recalls Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “Many critics and cineastes were puzzled with what I tried to do in Saawariya. The language of expression, the texture of storytelling, the performances they were all unique. I had an amazing team of actors. Ranbir, Sonam surrendered completely to my vision. They were like clay being moulded into beautiful shapes. I am so proud of where Ranbir has reached. And I had two legendary performers Begum Para and Zohra Sehgal in my film. And Rani, oh my God, Rani Mukerji was so so special! She took Saawariya to the level I wanted to.”
Any regrets? Perhaps Saawariya came ahead of its times? “That’s what they said about Guru Dutt’s Kagaz Ke Phool and Raj Kapoor’s Mera Naam Joker. I don’t know if Saawariya belongs to the same league. But I do know that if I had to make Saawariya again, I wouldn’t change anything. Except one actor. I am not telling you which.”
Morocco
