Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali
with
mother
Leela.
Photograph:
The
late
Pradeep
Bandekar
Now
that
Maharashtra
Chief
Minister
Devendra
Fadnavis
has
adopted
his
mother’s
name
Sarita
as
his
middle
name,
it
is
time
to
give
credit
to
the
one
who
started
the
trend.
Sanjay
was
only
Bhansali
until
he
decided
to
include
his
mother’s
name,
Leela.
“I
was
not
trying
to
start
a
trend
when
I
decided
to
call
myself
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali,”
the
director
tells
Subhash
K
Jha.
“But
if
people
are
honouring
their
parents
in
their
names,
I
say,
that’s
a
start!
We
need
to
do
a
lot
more
for
our
parents.
“Sadly,
my
father
didn’t
get
to
see
me
make
a
success
of
my
life.
But
my
mother’s
blessings
have
been
with
me
all
the
way.
I
don’t
think
I
would
be
worth
anything
without
her.”
Sarita
Fadnavis
blesses
her
son
Devendra
after
the
Mahayuti
stormed
to
power
in
the
Maharashtra
assembly
election.
Photograph:
ANI
Photo
Bhansali
attributes
all
his
success
to
his
mother:
“Whatever
we
achieve
in
life,
whatever
we
do
that
is
worth
doing,
comes
from
our
parents’
blessings.
I
am
what
I
am
today
because
of
my
mother.
So
if
she
is
part
of
my
name,
I
am
doing
her
no
favour.”
His
2013
film
Goliyon
Ki
Raasleela
Ram-Leela
was
not
only
dedicated
to
his
mother,
the
heroine
Leela’s
character
was
also
inspired
by
the
lady
who
single-handedly
brought
up
her
son
to
be
the
person
that
he
is.
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali
with
mother
Leela
and
sister
Bella
Saigal.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Bella
Bhansali
Segal/Instagram
Usually
SLB
showed
bits
and
pieces
of
his
films
to
his
mother
first
to
get
her
opinion.
But
this
time,
he
kept
the
film
to
himself.
He
wanted
to
complete
every
detail
of
his
film
before
showing
it
to
his
mother.
Not
too
many
know
that
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali’s
mother
once
was
a
fabulous
dancer.
Photographs
curated
by
Satish
Bodas/Rediff.com
