Alia Bhatt is one of Bollywood’s brightest stars, known for her versatile performances and strong presence in the Indian film industry. From her debut in Student of the Year to critically acclaimed roles in films like Raazi and Gully Boy, she has grown into a powerhouse of talent. Alia has worked with some of the biggest names in Bollywood, and her collaboration with veteran filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been a pivotal moment in her career.

The Shelve Project: ‘InshAllah’

Many in the film fraternity know that Alia Bhatt was first put on the shelf of InshAllah alongside Salman Khan, a superstar. To be a director that would first emboss her in the films, Alia was to be directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali himself—the one known so far for cinematic masterpieces.

Rumours about it being a biopic on the iconic poet Sahir Ludhianvi had already created enough buzz, as it was to bring together two of the biggest names in Bollywood. But things became quite interesting when, Inshallah shelved overnight. The project was no more, the news came as a shock to both the fans and the industry at large. Instead of Inshallah, Bhansali teamed up with Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi, a biopic on the Mafia Queen of Kamathipura, that proved to be a blockbuster.

 

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Emotional Response by Alia Bhatt

Alia was very emotional about it. She reacted on a deep emotional level,” Sanjay Leela Bhansali has said in a recent interview to a Hollywood publication when he was opening up on what transpired when he had to break this news to Alia that Inshallah was not happening.

I was doing, Inshallah, with her. Then it suddenly got shelved. She broke down, cracked up, cried, raved, ranted, and locked herself in a room,” Bhansali recalled.

It was the most frustrating moment for the actress, who was excited to get an opportunity to work with Salman Khan and to play a new challenging role. She was genuinely disheartened when she heard about the shelving of the film, which made her break behind closed doors.

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Transition to ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’

“She said, ‘From Los Angeles, where I was supposed to be playing the character (in Inshallah), I have come to Kamathipura. How do I do it? I don’t know this character,'” said Bhansali, recalling.

The filmmaker believed that Alia could deliver. He said to her, “Do you trust me, and do you know me? Then I’ll tap into that strong woman in you because I can see it in your eyes. I can see how strong, how convinced you are of certain things that you do.”

The Move On: ‘Love & War’

Her work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali progressed with the failure of InshAllah. She appeared in Gangubai Kathiawadi, which was a huge success and cemented her position as one of the top actresses in Bollywood. The two are set to collaborate on Bhansali’s next, Love & War, alongside Vicky Kaushal and her husband, Ranbir Kapoor.

Another movie, in this case, is the new film that will be the other great story that will shape another incredible part of both Bhatt and Bhansali’s careers, proving that sometimes even less satisfying moments can turn out to be more beneficial.