When Sanjay Leela Bhansali Confessed Being Obsessed With Madhuri Dixit, Wanted Her In Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam & Khamoshi: “Waited For 2 & A Half Years At Her Door…”

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has always been vocal about his admiration for his leading ladies. The National Award winner has worked with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Manisha Koirala, Madhuri Dixit, Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, and Alia Bhatt, among others. The director ensures that every actress he works with looks mesmerising on screen. SLB always brings out the best in every talent he works with, especially the actresses.

SLB worked with Madhuri Dixit in his 2002 film, Devdas. The tragic romantic drama also stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Bhansali has always expressed his admiration for Madhuri in several interviews. In 2011, the director revealed how he’s obsessed with Madhuri. He shared that he wanted Madhuri Dixit to be his heroine in Khamoshi—The Musical and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

In an interview with PTI, Bhansali stated, “In my every film, right from Khamoshi, I wanted to direct Madhuri. I am obsessed with her. No other director is as obsessed as me about Madhuri. During Khamoshi, I waited for two-and-half years at her door, to ask her to read the script; but I couldn’t get through to her. So I made the film without her. During Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, I tried to rope in Madhuri, but it did not happen. Then I ensured that in Devdas, she was there.”