‘It was a bright happy colourful film’ Sanjay Leela Bhansali on 9 years completion of Ram-Leela

Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram Leela turns 9 years old and Sanjay Leela Bhansali has a lot to say about it.

As the film turns 9 years old, Sanjay opened up about the film and how it was his ‘most violent’ film. He revealed his action director Sham Kaushal was very happy with action of the film. ‘Before Ram-Leela there was nothing more than a slap in my films. In fact, action director Sham Kaushal would complain in every film, ‘Why call me for action direction for just a slap?’. This time in Ram-Leela we had enough action to make Sham Kaushal happy.’

Ram Leela also had guns and a raw picture of love. About which Sanjay said, “They had never played such unabashed characters. Once in a while, Deepika would get taken aback by her character's uninhibited behaviour. But she would convey exactly what I wanted. Both of them are marvellous actors. They made the expression of love so effortless and magical. They have conveyed the purest form of love.”

He further added, “That's the irony, which took me away from the original Shakespearean play. For me, it was important to show that the lovers could only be united completely in death. I wanted to hold back the consummation of their love."

He concluded, ‘It was a bright happy colourful film. I returned to my Hum...Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas style of filmmaking. Ram-Leela came after the failure of two of my films. We had worked with equal passion on Saawariya and Guzaarish. Both the films are as precious to me as Ram-Leela. But somehow our efforts did not connect with the audience.’

Sanjay Leela Bhansali later directed Gangubai Kathiawadi which was a major hit at  box-office.