Famous Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali celebrates his 60th birthday

Sanjay Leela Bhansali carved a niche with his larger-than-life depiction of stories. He found his footing after years of struggle. From once living in a small room in a slum to now being one of the most sought-after directors, SLB has come a long way. On his 60th birthday read on to know his journey so far.

Hyderabad: Sanjay Leela Bhansali turned 60 on February 24. Born in Mumbai in 1963, the director is a well-known name today and has gifted Hindi cinema with many super hit films like Devdas, Bajirao Mastani, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (Leela Bhansali). However, the path to success was not easy for the director, given he grew up in a slum with an alcoholic father. While growing up, the director often struggled to make ends meet.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali hails from a Gujarati family. His father was a producer but he turned to alcohol after failing in his career. But it was his mother Leela Bhansali who was by his side all through and helped him achieve his life's goals.

Sanjay started his career as an assistant director. He has since directed films like Devdas, Padmavat, Black, Chandramukhi, and Gangubai Kathiwari. Bhansali was awarded Padma Shri for his outstanding performance in the film industry. The proof of his ability can be assessed by the fact that he works very meticulously on every character in his films. Bhansali's unique style of presenting stories to the audience makes him stand out from the rest of the filmmakers.

Sanjay has won five National Awards in various categories. He is said to have fallen in love with choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant during the making of 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. However, their love story did not culminate in marriage due to personal reasons. However, their love story did not culminate in marriage due to personal reasons.