Image credit:Instagram/AishwaryaRai/NDTV.com
Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has provided some blockbuster movies such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas jointly. They had also co-operated for Guzarish.
Aishwarya Rai formerly had opened up about the movies in a interview with SpotboyE. The actor had said that while she was prepared to play her roles, the director couldn’t find her the perfect lead actor for the role of Bajirao and Khilji.
Aishwarya said “He didn’t get the Bajirao for me. He wanted me to do Padmaavat, but could not get the Khilji for me, at the casting time. So, that’s how it didn’t happen,” she said. “So, at the end of the day, you need to see the casting. If the casting is not happening, then sometimes, it doesn’t come together. The intention is always there to work together, but it didn’t happen. We both loved working with each other, so let’s see, whenever it is meant to be.”
In 2014, it was noted that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had reached to Ajay Devgn for the role of Bajirao. An India Today report, crediting a tabloid, quoted Ajay clarifying the reason behind giving the role a pass. “I was approached for the lead role… but we couldn’t agree on the terms and conditions… dates, money, everything,” Ajay had said.
Eventually, both period movies ended up featuring Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh and achieved well at the box office.