Sanjay Leela Bhansali on his first meeting with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: 'Inhi aankhon ka asar hua tha'

Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan collaborated on the iconic 1999 film, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The film smashed box office records and emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year. The former Miss World made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam's 1997 Tamil film Iruvar, and she soon established herself as a standout actress of her time. In an earlier interview with Filmfare, the acclaimed director revealed about his first meeting with the blue-eyed actress.

In an interview with Filmfare, Sanjay Leela Bhansali claimed that he first met the actress at a Raja Hindustani screening. Aishwarya approached him in the lobby after the screening, shook his hand, and said, "Hi! I am Aishwarya Rai. I liked your work in Khamoshi". Bhansali said, "Our hands met, our eyes met. I saw a fire in her eyes". He revealed, "Inhi aankhon ka asar hua tha," (these very eyes had affected me deeply), praising the actress.

He further went on praising her eyes and said, ‘’There’s something in her eyes." That’s the most important aspect of her beauty. They are not ‘normal’. They are so powerful that even if you don’t give her dialogue, they emote. Some eyes have devi shakti (power of the goddess), like Hemaji’s (Malini) eyes. Like Lataji’s (Mangeshkar). Also, her eyes are beautifully coloured and fill up naturally.

At the time, Bhansali was looking for a girl for the role of Nandini in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. After meeting the actress for the first time, he was convinced that she was the ideal choice. "Yehi to hai meri Nandini (she is my Nandini)," the filmmaker told himself. Due to her western appearance, several doubted whether she would be able to carry off the part but Bhansali was sure to bank on the actress.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s upcoming flicks:

On the work front, Aishwarya is all set to return to the big screen with Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: I, which will hit theatres on September 30. On the other hand, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is prepping for her upcoming web series, Heeramandi. Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Manisha Koirala will play the key roles. Although a launch date hasn't been set yet, the series will be available on Netflix.