Bhansali declines comment on ‘Guzaarish’ plagiarism allegations

MUMBAI - Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is in a legal tangle after veteran writer-director Dayanand Raajan accused him of plagiarising the script of “Guzaaarish” from his unpublished novel “Summer Snow”, Tuesday refused to comment on the controversy.

A legal notice has been issued against both UTV Motion Pictures, the film’s producers, and Bhansali.

“You talk with UTV… I am not getting into it. Yes, a legal notice has also been issued, but you talk with UTV on that. What happens when someone stands up to say… What should I react? If anyone stands up and says I had written it, why should I believe him? During ‘Krrish’, someone called up and said he has written it and Hrithik got into legal problems.”

“It’s best that UTV look at it legally and answer them legally and correctly. I am not getting into it,” Bhansali told IANS.

The director maintains that he involves himself with such dedication about every minute details associated with the making of his films that he ages five years with every film.

“With my every film I age five years than my normal age because I even look at every thing from the sweeper on my set right up to getting the money, to make a film of this scale to everything. I have a great team; I have great people working with me. My assistants are my pillars of strength. But yes, I passionately live every moment, every line, every thought, every agreement, every actor, I give it all,” he said.

“For two and a half years I don’t even know the world outside my film exist. I sit all through the making of my set, choosing every word of my dialogues, but I do it because I enjoy it. Every director’s duty is to do it. Every director must understand that it is his creation and you are doing it only with the support of those great technicians. So it doesn’t remain your film, it remains your vision. It’s something you are creating and it’s going to remain for lifetime,” said Bhansali.

Releasing Nov 19, “Guzaarish”, which stars Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan is a love story that also touches the issue of euthanasia. Monikangana Dutta and Abhishek Roy Kapoor also played important roles in the film.