Bhansali says people discouraged him from making 'woman-centric' film Gangubai Kathiawadi

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is all set to make his digital debut with his upcoming web series Heeramandi. During a media interaction, the filmmaker talked about the changing preferences of the audience. He further stated that people told him not to make Gangubai Kathiawadi as it was a 'woman-centric' film and had a female protagonist. The lead role was played by Alia Bhatt. 

Bhansali said, "People came and told me, I shouldn’t be making Gangubai (Kathiawadi) as it’s a woman-centric film, it has a female protagonist. In India, they do not go to a female subject or oriented film at the theatres, the box office doesn’t fetch good numbers and there’s a sex worker, and all that check boxes which is needed for a commercial film, wasn’t there in my case."

He further added that he "ticked all the wrong boxes" but still Gangubai Kathiawadi worked at the box office. "I may have ticked all the wrong boxes, but here’s the proof that the film has worked. That’s the belief. A filmmaker has to cause the change," he added.

'Living in a fool's paradise' 

During the same interaction, Sanjay Leela Bhansali talked about the changing preferences of the audience. He further said that any filmmaker who says that they know the audience, they are living in a "fool's paradise". Moreover, he also mentioned that no one can know the audience and it's the filmmaker who goes and changes the audience.

More about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi

The much-awaited teaser of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut digital venture Heeramandi was released on Saturday. The teaser featuring actresses Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Sharmin Segal and Richa Chadha gave the glimpse of the era when "courtesans" were "queens". 

The streaming date for Heeramandi will be announced soon. It will debut on Netflix.