Do you remember the climax scene from Devdas where Paro (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is running in the beautiful corridors of a magnificent haveli to see Devdas (Shahrukh Khan) one last time? Or the climax scene of Padmavat where Allaudin Khilji (Ranveer Singh) is trying his best to glimpse Rani Padmavati (Deepika Padukone), and she, along with several others, is preparing for johar?
This is the world of Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies. A world where the setting creates magic, music sets the mood, and the actors give their career’s best performances. An acclaimed filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and producer, Bhansali is a filmmaking machine who knows how to make his audience go aww with his films.
His actors talk about him as a film school in itself. It is because he is involved in all the processes involved in making his films. From casting, costumes, set designing, lighting, and music to directing, acting, and choreography, he is everywhere. That is the reason why SLB films are a brand itself.
From his debut movie ‘Khamoshi’ in 1996 to his latest box office release, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his love for grandeur in his films are eternal. Be it Saawariya, Guzaarish, Goliyon ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani, Padmavat or Gangubai Kathiwadi, and all these movies have a few things in standard, magnificent sets, beautiful aesthetics, dramatic visuals, great song sequences and the not so happily ever after endings.
Looking at all this, it is not unfair to say that there is Bollywood that is all about stardom and showbiz and then Bollywood that is shown in Bhansali films. Films give actors fame and a chance to push themselves to their limits and deliver their best.
Let’s have a look at some of the finest Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies that are known for their larger-than-life sets:
- Gangubai Kathiwadi
Starting with the recent one, one thing that stands apart from Alia’s acting in the movie is the streets of Kamathipura. Set in Bombay in the 1950s and 60s, Gangubai Kathiwadi is the story of Gangubai Kothevali. The film’s sets were created in the film city, and every aspect of this set was made with great precision. Everything was on point, from the brothel’s walls to the cafe’s interiors. With Bhansali’s direction, it looked even more aesthetic on screen.
- Padmaavat
Released in 2018, another of Bhansali’s popular movies was ‘Padmaavat’. Starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shaheed Kapoor in prominent roles, the set design of this movie was also a piece of architectural excellence. Despite the controversies related to this film, Bhansali was able to complete the film. From the minutely carved Chittor fort to the Allaudin Khilji’s palace having Persian influence, everything was designed and executed beautifully to the standards of SLB films.
- Bajirao Mastani
The period drama depicting the story of Peshwa Bajirao I and Mastani was released in 2015. The set of this film was as popular as the buzz around the movie. It included 23 grand sets, including the Aaina Mahal, Shaniwar Wada, the Durbar etc. The movie was a visual treat for the audience, with its great and beautiful dance sequences and brilliant acting.
- Devdas
Who does not remember Devdas? The adaptation of the popular novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay with the same name was another portrayal of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s excellence in filmmaking. Everything from Paro’s haveli to Chandramukhi’s Brothel was designed after taking inspiration from Calcutta’s style of architecture during the colonial era. The actors’ performances, the popular Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai’s dance sequence on ‘Dola Re Dola’ and Bhansali’s direction were other highlights of this movie.
