Sanjay Leela Bhansali celebrated his 62nd birthday today, and the actor’s personal life was never a cakewalk. In an old interview, the filmmaker spoke about his family’s struggles and his father’s detachment.
In a conversation with Simi Garewal, Bhansali reflected on his father’s detachment, revealing how his mother had to stitch clothes to support the family. His father’s neglect was so profound that he was unaware of which grades his children were studying in. Bhansali recalled how his father took solace in alcohol after facing numerous financial setbacks.
“Ever since I was born, I saw him drink. We witnessed a lot of violence growing up. We only saw anguish and bitterness against life. He was a violent man. He never whipped us, but that’s how we felt as kids. He was a broken man. I had seen him sitting with his drink at 4:30 in the morning, talking to his dog,” he shared.

Their father-son bond was fraught with fear and emotional distance. Describing his father as “dominating” and “overpowering,” Bhansali admitted to often feeling scared and retreating into himself. “There were moneylenders who were always at the house. We would be looked down upon at social gatherings like weddings because my father would be drunk,” he added.
Bhansali shared that his father never accepted him. Even in his final moments, their relationship remained strained. Bhansali recalled an emotional memory where he asked his father who he loved more during his last days, but his father did not take his name.
Sanjay’s strained relationship with his father profoundly influenced his creative vision, particularly in his iconic film ‘Devdas‘. The film’s emotional depth draws from Bhansali’s personal experiences, especially the poignant moment before his father’s death from cirrhosis. Bhansali witnessed a final gesture of reconciliation when his father, emerging briefly from a coma, reached out to his mother before passing away. This moment of fragile connection highlighted the sacrifices his mother had made over 22 years.