Hyderabad: Fardeen Khan recently shared an insightful anecdote about his past encounter with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He revealed that back in the early 2000s, he approached Bhansali for a potential collaboration, hoping to work with him. However, Bhansali, known for his discerning eye, expressed reservations, telling Khan that he didn't perceive the requisite passion or "fire" in his eyes.
This candid revelation came to light during a recent promotional interview, where Khan discussed his return to acting after a hiatus of over a decade in Bhansali's Netflix series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. "You know I am going to narrate a story that I reminded Sanjay sir when I went to meet him for Wali Mohammed (Fardeen character in Heeramandi). I had gone to his office in the early 2000s to seek work. Obviously to get the opportunity to work with him. He met with me, we sat, we spoke for about 10-15 minutes. He said, 'You know Fardeen I don't think we can work because I don't see that fire in your eyes.'"
Despite the initial setback, Khan acknowledged the impact of Bhansali's honest feedback, admitting that while it felt harsh at the time, it was precisely what he needed to hear. "At that time, of course, it felt brutal, and I told him this time that even if that sounded brutal at the time, that's exactly what I wanted to hear, I needed to hear rather."
The 50-year-old actor further said that he is grateful for the rejection he faced and said, "I thanked him for it. He never told me about wanting to cast me in Black. I am hearing it for the first time. But just to have this chance to be able to work with a master craftsman like him, I am extremely grateful for it. It's been a wonderful learning experience. It has enriched me on many levels."
Heeramandi, Bhansali's upcoming project, delves into the lives of courtesans in pre-independence India and boasts a star-studded cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Shaikh, and Sharmin Segal. Alongside these luminaries, Khan will grace the screen, joined by Taha Shah, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman, promising audiences a captivating narrative woven by a master craftsman.
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