When Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas Was Inspired By His Father’s Struggle With Alchohol: “Saw A Lot Of Violence While Growing Up, He Was A Broken Man..”

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in Indian cinema. He is known for his extraordinary vision, and some of his works have also been inspired by the events from his own life and childhood. One of them is his 2002 tragic magnum opus, Devdas. In an earlier interview, the director revealed how the Shah Rukh Khan starrer was inspired by his father’s struggle with alcohol. Not only this, but in an old episode of Rendezvous With Simi Grewal, SLB had also opened up about his tumultuous childhood owing to his father’s battle with alcoholism.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali On Having A Difficult Childhood

In Simi Grewal’s show, Sanjay Leela Bhansali opened up about his difficult childhood wherein he saw his father battle alcoholism and often become extremely violent. The Goliyon Ki Raas Leela: Ram Leela director said, “Ever since I was born, I saw him drink. We saw a lot of violence growing up. We only saw anguish and bitterness against life growing up. He was a violent man. He never whipped us, but that’s how we felt as kids. He was a broken man. I had seen him sitting with his drink at 4:30 in the morning and talking to his dog.”

Not only this but Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s relationship with his father was very strained because of this. He admitted that his father had a dominating personality, which terrified him, and that there were often moneylenders hovering outside their home. Not only this, but he and his father were often treated as social outcasts because of the latter’s drinking issue. The Bajirao Mastani actor also remembered his father’s last words wherein he asked him whom does he loved more out of him and his sister Bela. To this, the director’s late father said, “Obviously, I love Bela a lot.”