Guzaarish
Encyclopedia
Guzaarish is a 2010 Hindi
drama romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
, starring Hrithik Roshan
and Aishwarya Rai
in the lead roles. The film is produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ronnie Screwvala
under the banner of SLB Films and UTV Motion Pictures
.
The first look of Guzaarish was released on 23 September 2010. The film was released on 19 November 2010. Despite being an average grosser at the box office, the film received critical acclaim and awards and nominations in all the leading award ceremonies of the country.
, home to one of the most accomplished magicians of the time - Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan
). As fate would have had it, Ethan is severely injured when his former best friend Yaseer Siddiqui (Ash Chandler), who was also a magician betrays him by ruining one of his dangerous magic trick, causing him to become quadriplegic. Now in a wheelchair, Ethan's willpower only gets stronger and stronger. He becomes the Radio Jockey of an FM Station called Radio Zindagi. His show spreads magic and hope and laughter through his irrepressible wit and humor to every listener and caller, making it difficult to imagine that this is a man who has been living with a spinal injury for the last fourteen years of his life. Sofia D'Souza (Aishwarya Rai
), is his elegant nurse who has been accompanying him like a shadow for the past twelve years, leaving her domineering husband. Ethan and Sofia share a beautiful bond of love.
However, on the fourteenth anniversary of his accident, Ethan decides to take matters into his own hands and files an appeal to the court for euthanasia
(mercy killing). This leaves Sofia in an impasse that challenges their relationship and their love. Ethan takes the help of his best friend and lawyer Devyani Dutta (Shernaz Patel
) to support his appeal. Devyani , initially hesitates but later, understands Ethan's appeal and agrees to his reasoning and decides to support him in his cause, as a result of which she is sensed as being callous by others. Surprising everyone with her stance, Ethan's mother Isabel Mascarenhas (Nafisa Ali) also supports him in his petition, backing her son's demand. Though Ethan is consistently persuaded by his physician Dr. Nayak (Suhel Seth), a neurologist, to retract his case, he finally relents to Ethan's appeal when he realizes that the friend in him is much stronger than the medic.
Alongside all the confusions, a young man named Omar Siddiqui (Aditya Roy Kapoor) enters Ethan's life with the sole aim of learning magic from this man whom he considers to be the greatest of magicians. Omar is earnest and driven by a passion to learn magic, hyper-kinetic, quicksilver in his actions - an antithesis to Ethan's inertness. Impressed by his love for magic, Ethan agrees to pass on his legacy to Omar even as he fights tooth and nail to demand the most basic right to his own life. The ethics, the morality, the cruelty and the kindness of Ethan's mission causes everyone to be struck by a whirlwind of emotions scaling from rage to sorrow.
Judge Rajhansmoni (Vijay Crishna) dismisses the case immediately when the case is presented in the court. Devyani asks Ethan to garner public support through a vote on the issue through his radio programme, which Ethan christens "Project Euthanasia." The scenario takes an unexpected turn when though many of his audience vote against his decision, Estella Francis (Monikangana Dutta
) his former assistant and girlfriend and now a wife and a mother with work of her own, becomes the first person to vote in favour of Ethan as she understands his situation.
The issue comes into the limelight through news features in the television media and other public discussions. An appeal is once again submitted to the court and court proceedings start regarding the mercy killing petition by Ethan, which involves interrogation of Ethan's mother Isabel and close friends. The days become harder for Ethan as his mother passes away and Sofia is dragged away by her alcoholic husband, Neville D'Souza (Makarand Deshpande) against whom she had filed a divorce case and he longs for her love. It is also revealed that Omar is the son of Yaseer.
Finally the day of verdict comes and Ethan's plea is rejected by the court, citing the legal code of the country cannot be violated in any circumstance. A disheartened Ethan spends his time alone in his empty home when Sofia returns. She confesses to Ethan that she got the divorce and tells him that she will help with his mercy-killing, whatever the consequences be as Ethan means more to her. On hearing her words, Ethan realizes how much Sofia loves him. He proposes her, after Sofia agrees, they embrace each other and swear that no one could separate them till death...
Ethan throws a farewell party for their friends and guests, where Ethan speaks about everyone who has meant very dear to him and finally tells everyone about his and Sofia's love. Everyone is surprised and overjoyed as they knew of their love. Ethan asks Sofia to walk to him as his wife, not a servant. Sofia, heartbroken, walks to him and kisses him, for the first and last time and hugs him lovingly. Ethan says that he will be dying a happy man with no regrets and the heart full of Sofia's love and bids all goodbye. At these words, all the guests, come to his couch and hug him, and the shot closes on Ethan laughing heartily.
, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had decided to focus more on his SLB Film production house. Chenab Gandhi starring Amitabh Bachchan
, Vidya Balan
, and John Abraham
was being talked about in the industry. Meanwhile, he was also focusing on his sister Bela Sehgal's directorial venture, earlier titled, Hadippa. A few news reports suggested that Bhansali had confirmed his next project - a young love story called Hamari Jaan Ho Tum, starring Udit Narayan's son Aditya Narayan and Mahesh Bhatt
's daughter. He had denied the rumors stating he was not into any such project.
Other reports stated he had begun working on a film called Heera Mandi. Bhansali had got two male actors and one female actress flown in from Pakistan to train them in acting. But with the death of Begum Para, one of his actors in Saawariya, who was also supposed to star in Heera Mandi, the crew had ran into casting problems. So Bhansali started working on an untitled film starring Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan.
Later Bhansali himself cleared the air in an interview that, though he had met a Pakistani actor called Imran Abbas on the insistence of the writer of Heera Mandi, Moin Beg, at around the end of 2007, he had realised that the actor did not fit Bhansali's needs. But he did confirm that he would definitely make Heera Mandi much later and when it happened he would think of the casting.
Bhansali first told media about his next directorial venture, when he gave an interview to the Indo-Asian News Service
(IANS). In the interview he said that he had decided to call his film, Guzaarish, which is set to be shot in Goa. Bhansali stated that Guzaarish is his tribute to the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar
; "I learnt direction from her voice. ‘Guzaarish’ is my tribute to Lata-ji’s artistry,” Bhansali told IANS. He added that the screenplay of the movie is also inspired by Lata’s passion for excellence.
He said that Lata's songs and their lyrics had been used "...to fuel the intense love story. For instance, the song Hai tere saath meri wafaa, main nahin to kya? forms an important part of the film..."
When queried on why he chose a topic which explored the life of a quadriplegic, the filmmaker said he likes taking up subjects that are closer to life and not very much talked about. He added that the movie makes one "...aware about the beauty of life and what we have and how we should cherish what we have.. I have learnt so much about living a good life, of becoming a better human being and of evolving as a person".
Later in an interview Sanjay Leela Bhansali opened up and said that "I've lived the pain of facing the isolation of failure after Saawariya. it was the toughest time of my life. Suddenly everyone disappeared, and that included the people who had worked with me on Saawariya for two years. Because of the suffering I began to get seriously interested in the subject of mercy killing. I began to read up as much as possible on the subject. My research showed that mercy killing was prohibited by law in many countries including India .Almost a year of studying the super-sensitive subject, I concluded that every human being should have the right to die with dignity. The pain and suffering and the dignity with which I bore them prompted me to make a film on mercy killing."
and Jodhaa Akbar, both of which had starred both herself and Hrithik Roshan, Bhansali decided that the pair exuded a dignity and elegance much needed for his film. He also told IANS that Hrithik and Aishwarya have been chosen to play the passionate lovers in 'Guzaarish' because to Bhansali, they epitomized the physical and spiritual beauty of Lata Mangeshkar's voice."
When the stars had been signed on, Hrithik Roshan was filming for the film Kites, while Aishwarya Rai was shooting in Kerala
for the bilingual Raavan
/Raavanan. As a result, though Bhansali wanted to start the shooting of the movie by early 2009, the start got delayed since the lead actor suggested postponing the film until he wrapped up his home production Kites." He added that the project was "..definitely going into a different territory, in more ways than one,” hinting at a unique shooting location. Later, sources from the movie said that bulk dates of the two actors had been taken and for the following four months, the film would be shot in Mumbai and two other outdoor locations, which were not disclosed then. It was reported that Roshan would start shooting from July 2009.
For her part, Aishwarya Rai said that both Bhansali and herself had evolved together and were both similar — totally driven and passionate. She stated that the director ".. was so excited when he found the right script for us to work together in". She had similar views about her co-star Hrithik Roshan with whom, she said, she shared an amazing rapport.
Hrithik Roshan said in an interview that Bhansali’s film is the only film "....that I’ve accepted after Kites. I just jumped at it. We’re both very passionate film persons. Though there’s one other script that I’m looking at, nothing touched my soul except Bhansali’s script.”
Apart from the two big stars, Bhansali had also signed model Monikangana Dutta to play Hrithik’s former love interest in the film. Sources had revealed then that Dutta would be playing the role of Hrithik's estranged lover. It was announced that Dutta had been signed for a two-movie deal and that "...Guzaarish would be the first and the second might be a solo launch for her. Monika is obviously very excited about bagging the role. She is not allowed to make many public appearances and remains discreet about the film deal...” Bhansali was very tight-lipped when asked about Dutta and gave a very brief response saying that her role was pivotal to the film.
During the music release of Guzaarish, it was revealed that Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai were the first choices of the director. Though Rai had agreed to the script without even reading it, Roshan was all set to say no to Sanjay's next. According to Hrithik Roshan "... five minutes into the story narration, I knew that I just couldn’t say no". Hrithik felt that though he had "..played superheroes before. But I feel my character in 'Guzaarish' is the biggest superhero. I learnt how to live life after playing this role. This film will make you smile and give you courage".
Bhansali said that he had always wanted to work together with Roshan for a very long time as he was impressed by his sincerity as an actor. He added that the script of Guzaarish gave him the right opportunity to sign him. About the leading lady, Aishwarya Rai, he said that the role suited her to perfection and though she would have accepted his offer, it was important for an actor to be convinced of what he or she is doing.
Bhansali stated that if any of the leading cast had refused to sign, he wouldn't have made Guzaarish. According to him "..the film was only possible if Hrithik and Aishwarya had acted in it".
Amita Sehgal, Casting Director, roped in other actors including Shernaz Patel who was last seen in Bhansali's Black as Michelle McNally's mother, Catherine McNally. Vijay Crishna who was seen in Devdas
as the authoritarian father made a comeback in Bhansali's cast ensemble. There were rumors initially that Suhel Seth who was last seen in Pooja Bhatt
's Rog
had been engaged to play Hrithik's doctor, which were later confirmed. Further, inclusion of Nafisa Ali cemented Bhansali's penchant for picking up his cast from off the beaten track.
Another inclusion was Aditya Roy Kapoor, brother of UTV Executive Producer, Siddharth Roy Kapur, who also was working simultaneously in another of Aishwarya Rai's films, Action Replayy.
It was reported that yesteryear actor couple Dharmendra
and Hema Malini
's younger daughter Ahana Deol and Aditya Pancholi
and Zarina Wahab
's son, Sooraj Pancholi served Bhansali as Assistant Directors (AD) on the sets of Guzaarish. While Sooraj Pancholi did work as an Assistant Director for the first 2 schedules, Ahana Deol never worked as an AD.
Theater actor Makrand Deshpande
was recruited to play an important three-minute cameo in the film on Hrithik Roshan's suggestion.
Dileep Subramaniam is the sound designer of the film. He has years of experience as sound designer in films like 'My Name is Khan' and currently on floor Imtiaz Ali's 'Rockstar'. That film won best film on the ZigZag awards.
for seeking blessings. Bhansali also met the singing legend Lata Mangeshkar, whom he had revealed to be the source of inspiration to him, to seek her blessings before he fully embarked on filming Guzaarish.
During the meeting, Mangeshkar told that she was a big fan of Bhansali’s films and that she was fortunate to be the source of inspiration behind such a talented director’s film. She told the media members that “..Even I had heard that he makes his singers hear my songs over and over again before making them sing. I’ve always been a big fan of Sanjay’s films, specially Black. I remember watching the Filmfare Awards
in the year of Black. Every time the nominations were announced I prayed for Black to win. And it did. If I’m a source of inspiration to him then I count myself fortunate”.
Bhansali candidly admitted that he was very much afraid of meeting Lata since "..one doesn't hobnob with one's god". He added that once he reached her home, he "... just wanted to sit and gaze at her. I realised in person she’s as magical as she is in her singing. There’s something other-worldly about her, a quality I haven’t encountered in anyone else in my life”.
Like all his other films, Bhansali preferred shooting at a studio. Bhansali says, "I like to construct sets and then light it up. It is a part of my story telling. My story needs a setting and I like to create that ambiance." Hence he chose Filmcity, Mumbai to shoot the movie.
Before the actual filming started, Hrithik Roshan spent time with a lot of patients to understand his role better and get into the skin of his character. He revealed that he used to “.. spend six hours with the patients, initially once a week and then once a month. I used to go to understand what they go through, what they think, what their needs are. They have taught me a lot of things. So if I have benefited from this experience so much, I am sure that when people see the film and understand the character, they will get a lot to learn”.
Since Roshan's character was a paraplegic
, Bhansali wanted to give him a natural look. Hence he was instructed by the director not to indulge in his regular workouts since he cannot look fit and trim in the film. He was also asked by the director to spot an original beard unlike the artificial one in his previous film, Kites, so as to give touches of authenticity to his character.
The movie is set in Goa ,and hence, Bhansali wanted to give a Portuguese
touch to his frames. Sumit Basu, the Art Director, created Ethan's House in Mehboob Studio
with a very Spanish/Portuguese flavour and the auditorium for magic acts, the court room, Martin's Bar in Yash Raj Studio. Also keeping in mind the costumes Bhansali hired Sabhyasachi Mukerjee as the costume designer, who had worked Bhansali in Black. Mukherjee had earlier worked in the film Raavan with Aishwarya Rai the same year.
after his first film, Khamoshi: The Musical
for filming a movie. During the first day of shooting, he made sure that his mother was present on the sets. Sources revealed that his mother was his reason for making films and ".. it is imperative that she be present." Hrithik Roshan joined the crew on 22 July. Aishwarya Rai joined the crew during the initial part of August after wrapping up the shoot for Raavan / Raavanan . A specially made to order remote-controlled modernized wheelchair was used in the movie for the role of Ethan Mascarenhas.
The next outdoor session of the film was done in Panjim. The lead actors had stayed at the Taj, Goa. During the day shoot at Divar, the unit's base camp was at an Englishman Jan Bostock's home in Divar island, just off Panjim for 4–5 days. Apparently, the film-maker, who is known for his hot-tempered nature, threw away the continuity sheets of one of the scenes being shot while shooting in the outskirts of Goa when one of his assistant directors made the same mistake twice.
Hrithik Roshan sang a Hindi song in the film, after attempting playback singing in his previous movie Kites, in which he had rendered an English song. Bhansali himself personally trained Roshan for the song. Though the director had got the track recorded by another singer so that shooting in Goa could go on uninterrupted, in case Roshan could not complete his recording, his version was finally recorded after four or five takes. Roshan later said in an interview that "Bhansali was really surprised on hearing it."
During the filming of the movie, Bhansali also choreographed some of the songs. He used to dance on the sets of Guzaarish at times to make the moves clear to his actors. Many times he broke into a dance himself to convey the steps that he had in mind. This took most of his crew by surprise.
Pony Verma, who was the choreographer for most of the songs in the film, revealed that as soon as Bhansali conceived a song, he would send it to her and then sing it to her as well. During the shooting of the song, a singer and a guitarist were on the sets. The choreography took place to the accompaniment of live guitar strings and song. According to Verma, this novel way of functioning had enhanced the appeal of the song. She added that when "... the song is playing live, you pick up a lot of nuances on the spot, which really helps the song". Verma was in full praises for Bhansali who gave her complete freedom over the choreography; she also acknowledged the efforts put in by the lead actress Aishwarya Rai, with whom she had frequent discussion about the feel of the song.
The third schedule of the film began on 30 October 2009. The grueling schedule lasted till January 2010, at the city's Mehboob Studios. Rumours had it that during the filming of the movie, Bhansali and Roshan got into a tiff over the excessive use of English in the movie. Roshan, whose previous film Kites was also blamed for having non-Hindi dialogues, did not want to take a risk and lessen Guzaarishs appeal. Though there were no comments from either of them, it was learned that the issue was finally sorted out. Bhansali himself put all speculation to rest saying that ".. we (Hrithik Roshan and himself) were actually singing along quite happily." Later, towards the completion of the film, both the director and the producers, who realized the need to give the film a mass appeal, reworked certain dialogues in English, which were then dubbed in Hindi.
The final schedule of the movie was shot in Yashraj Studios from 21 February 2010. Bhansali found that on the other sets where he had shot the film, he was being frequently disturbed by guests, which prevented him from providing the full concentration which the movie demanded. According to the crew "..Yash Raj Studios was not only classy and had all the facilities but it also doesn’t allow guests to come in." Taking these factors into consideration Bhansali decided to bury the hatchet with Aditya Chopra over a film title and started shooting in the studios. The schedule included a spontaneous dance song with Aishwarya Rai, choreographed by Bhansali himself.
The song "Udi" was pictured during this session which was choreographed by Longinus Fernandes
, whom Bhansali had judged in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, a popular dance based reality show. Fernandes was already known for his works in Slumdog Millionaire
and Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. According to him Bhansali "..wanted to make the song different and unique. I asked him if we can add a little bit of Spanish to it and give it a raw, earthy feel. He liked the idea, so we gave the whole dance a very rustic look in order to make it look as natural as possible". The choreographer added that the dance sequence was very distinct in that the audience had never seen Rai doing such steps. He went gaga over the lead actress saying that she danced like a dream. Longinus said in an interview that it ".. did not take her long to learn the dance but it did take her some time to perfect it and to get into the mood of the character”.In an interview Sanjay Leela Bhansali said that in the song Udi , "..with such few words Sofia manages to say so much. It was my tribute to Waheeda Rahman’s character in Guide
."In a sequence from the film, Ethan explains Omar, that the first magic he had performed was for his mother. Bhansali said that it is inspired from his childhood days. He said ,"I remember my grandmother selling off the last of her silver and storing chillar in large Johnson baby powder tin. Every afternoon she would count that money and put it back. That kurr-kurr of the coins being bought out, counted and put back had to be heard again. The value of those coins doesn’t exist anymore but it was an important part of my growing up.”
Since Roshan's character, Ethan, plays a magician in the initial portion of the film, a Ukrainian magician was hired for teaching him magic tricks, after a long search for a professional magician. The magic stunts performed by Roshan and Monikangana Dutta formed the major portion of the film shot in the last schedule.
Among the many stunts shot there was a particular sequence in which Roshan had to dance using a large transparent ball as a property. The actor said that he had trained the hardest to practice spin in one of the dance sequence. Roshan said, "I trained for a month. It was not a long piece of dance but there was lot of jazz ballet where I was required to spin as there is a ball in my hand and I am playing with it as well as dancing. None of my songs up till now have spin because I am very bad at it."
The cinematographer of the movie Sudeep Chatterjee was asked to interpret the script completely so that Bhansali could understand his perception too. Praising his director to be very open and cooperative Chatterjee acknowledged in an interview about Bhansali's penchant for closed spaces. He said that his main challenge was to make the scenes look different though the protagonist is locked in a single room. To make these differences the lighting was adjusted such that one sees the room in twilight, at night, during the day, in early morning. The camera was made always mobile to counter Ethan's stillness. Slightly mobile things were deliberately kept always around Ethan like a fluttering curtain , a fish bowl near Ethan's head which according to the cinematographer mocked at his stillness all the time.
To enhance the intensity between his characters, Bhansali wanted a correctly intense reference point for Hrithik and Aishwarya's feelings and conversations. Bhansali said that he thought the sentiment of thwarted passion and smothered intensity of star-crossed lovers in Romeo & Juliet expressed his protagonists' inexpressible feelings very well.Hence he included dialogues from Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet in Guzaarish. Bhansali insisted on Zeffirelli's version since to him "..his work is the ultimate tribute to Shakespeare's love story. So many times, I've wanted to do my own version of Romeo & Juliet. But one look at Zeffirelli's film makes me feel I can never equal his beauty grandeur harmony and principal casting." Though it was difficult to obtain permission to use the materials, an adamant Bhansali accomplished the feat. He said," This was my only chance to pay homage to one of my all-time favourite screen romances."
When asked about the preparation she did for the film, actor Aishwarya Rai said in an interview that both herself and the director Bhansali ".. just like to walk randomly around the sets and “feel”. Sometimes I sit quietly and gaze into space or the ground and he captures all that. In fact, the poster picture with me looking away was taken like that. I was looking at the ground, lost in deep thought and he clicked it and told me that he was putting it on his poster. He knows when I am ready to do a scene, when I am in character, and the like. For instance, I delayed going on the set by two days and he did not say anything. He called me on the set and said we would start shooting in five days. On the second day, I tried hair, make-up, and costume. He told me I was ready to give my first shot and indeed, I was."
About the script Bhansali said that he had worked on the script for 18 months and says, “My film is mainstream in terms of budgets, cast and audience and I had to make sure that I did not hurt anyone but evoked a debate.” He points out that without star-clout, such themes will not make any impact on the audience or society. “And at least till my screenplay reaches the interval point, I do not start casting my actors.”
said that there was a layering that one can see in the costumes. He said ".. it is the same subtle nuances you can see in the subdued colour palette. Sanjay understands and appreciates my aesthetics and it’s never a struggle for me to explain myself to him or anyone else in the cast and crew. I think 90 per cent of the battle is won when the director agrees to something and then all the actors succumb. Sanjay is so visually sound that people don’t question him." On the look of Ethan Mascarenhas, Mukherjee said that the make up and costume was more organic.In a particular scene Hrithik Roshan wears rose-tinted glasses. Mukherjee said that "the glasses were dark humour, that a guy who has nothing to look forward to is wearing rose-tinted glasses". On a lighter note he added that he wanted his hero to look like Clark Kent and not James bond.
Aishwarya Rai's character Sophia D'Souza goes through a bad marriage. The costume designer said that according to him " ..her internal suffering has manifested itself into an over-dressing syndrome. People who are depressed tend to either over-eat or overdress! Aishwarya wears the strangest of clothes. She has such a morbid life that she almost derives comfort from her clothes. She understands the meaning of dressing up for a bedridden person and it is her colours that bring humour to the patient’s life." The entire look of Aishwarya Rai consisted of thirty-seven long frocks, four dumpy shoes,maxis, aprons with motifs of cutlery, quirky glasses and jewellery, surreal hairdos and red lips.The character, who even makes her water bottle wear a jacket that she has made herself, may be conceived to be a seamstress, who makes dresses for herself, since Rai's costumes are uncommon says Mukherjee. He adds that Sophia uses her red lips as a weapon and not as an accessory. About Sofia's costumes, Bhansali said that " "It's an expression of her grief. She's a woman who has dedicated her entire life to this suffering man. And she wears that red lipstick so that when he faces her, he sees life in all its colour."
Sabyasachi Mukherjee also made a debut in jewellery line with Guzaarish. He had designed the line keeping in mind a multicultural element with a nomadic vibe. The navratan necklace worn by Aishwarya Rai in the climax of the film and other items like raindrop earrings, coral kanpashas, rhodolite balis, butterfly earrings, minakari bird ring and the turquoise and coral ring that she wears in the film have been designed by him. Mukherjee said that "When Sanjay Leela Bansali approached me for 'Guzaarish', I realised that jewellery would play a very important role in shaping up Sophia's character as played by Aishwarya Rai. It would have to be nomadic, quirky and personalised and so I decided to bring on board GAJA in SABYASACHI (his label) because it epitomises that spirit. The whole line has been designed by me keeping in mind a multicultural element with a nomadic vibe." For the collection, Sabyasachi used precious and semi-precious stones, minakari and filigree and had to work with about 60 skilled workers from West Bengal to complete the line. The price range of rings and earrings starts from Rs.40,000 and navratan necklaces are priced at Rs.510,000.
The other characters also were specially treated. Omar Siddique played by Aditya Roy Kapoor was styled like a struggling French musician. " His clothes are layered, he wears a crumpled tuxedo with flappy trousers and because he doesn’t have money for shoes, he wears flip-flops.", said Mukherjee. Suhel Seth, who plays Ethan's doctor, is presented in stiff suits and Shernaz Patel, Ethan's lawyer is given a look of a Gandhian in cotton saris and three-quarter blouses. The maids are in dumpy dresses. The costume designer says that "..the clothes are nearly theatrical and they have a mind of their own. If you remove the characters and hang the clothes, they will tell a story. It’s like Neverland or the reality version of The Magic Faraway Tree! "
The look of the film was designed to move with the narrative. The first scene shows Sophia D'Souza waking up and taking care of Ethan , for which the shafts of light have been enhanced and colors desaturated but the skin tones maintained. From the skies, to the wall colouring, every part of the movie has been enhanced in some way. The VFX team was throughout in the sets right from when the film was being shot.
The shots which involve visual effects are listed below.
on 3 September. Later the trailer was withdrawn from We Are Family. The official reason given for the postponement of the trailer was the time factor as the producers felt that there was a lot of time before the release of Guzaarish, and hence it was decided Guzaarish's first promotional trailer would feature in theaters a month later with Siddharth Anand’s Anjaana Anjaani
. However the real story was that there were some concerns over a sequence showing Aishwarya Rai puffing away frantically at a cigarette in the trailer. While smoking is not entirely prohibited in Indian films, it is certainly seen to be injurious to health, especially since the one smoking on screen is a global icon playing a nurse. Sources close to the film revealed, “Aishwarya is not really smoking in Guzaarish. It’s a very cute, funny and a very beautiful sequence where she is trying to smoke when she doesn’t know how to." Irrespective of the context it had been decided that the release date of the first trailer would be postponed.
Owing to the Ayodhya verdict, the release of Anjaana Anjaani
was also postponed to 1 October, which saw the release of another Aishwarya Rai film Enthiran - The Robot. Hence Bhansali decided to have a separate promotional trailer launch on 23 September 2010 at Cinemax, Mumbai. Bhansali acted really tough and rejected as many as 200 designs before settling down for the final one. The first viewing opened to positive responses. The 1 minute, 48 seconds long trailer focused entirely on Hrithik and Aishwarya and was sans dialogue. The trailer was described by the critics as ".. delightful visuals, exhilarating background score, elaborate costumes, and understated but intense emotions - the promo has a signature Bhansali look and feel. It reminds you of Black, it reminds you of Saawariya. Faridoon Shahryar, Content Head Bollywood Hungama
website, opined that the first look was ".. sheer poetry, amalgamation of mesmeric music, metaphorical imagery, a tinge of humour, a larger than life settings, and loads of pathos". Alongside the release of the promotional trailer, posters and downloadable background materials were also spread officially through the internet.
During the "presser", attended by Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Ronnie Screwvala, Aditya Roy Kapur, Monikangana Dutta, Shernaz Patel, other cast and crew of the movie and Bhansali himself, the director said ".. You go through so much in life, so many things about life are unspoken, hope and joy of living, and I thought it was important to make a film which dealt with a topic like this."
A nervous Bhansali, who had met the media after a long time, said he was very afraid of handling a mic after so long. He thanked UTV Chairman Ronnie Screwvala for his unrelenting support. Bhansali made headlines for the day when he said that Aishwarya Rai was ".. his muse, his jaan, and I get terribly excited when I make a film with her because she is very, very special. Some people are timeless and Aishwarya will be there for another 20 years". About the lead actor he said, "I have never enjoyed working with any other actor as much as I have enjoyed working with Hrithik, just for the kind of talent he has, for the kind of person he is". He also revealed the reason why he became the musical director of the movie, "The reason behind doing the music of the film is that I think I understand the characters and understand what they would express musically more than any other music director. Some deep thoughts are my concern, so whatever little music I knew, it was a sort of experiment. But I am happy with what I have done,".
Aishwarya Rai told the press that "This was a very special film for us. We are glad to share this special piece of work with you before we reveal it to the rest of the world." Hrithik Roshan shared with the press that it was ".. true that I have not done anything that has been life altering. This movie has changed my outlook towards work, changed my life. It is so beautiful that 30 years or 40 years from now, I’ll look back and smile I had the opportunity to make this film."
Hrithik Roshan elaborated on his character saying that he was ".. a super character in the film. I have interacted with about 20 such patients who suffer from complete paralysis of the lower half of the body, including both legs which is mostly caused by damage of the spinal cord. They are real life superheroes and I am representing their emotions on screen". Adding that he never had felt such responsibility towards any other character he had played to date, he told the media that the film did not take any stance on mercy-killing. Roshan said that he was able to identify with Ethan Mascarenhas because, when he was going through the Guzaarish script, he had been nursing a knee problem and doctors told him that the knee will never be okay. According to Roshan, the script "..energised me so much that I was not depressed about my knee problem anymore".
Further trailers of the song sequences Udi, Sau Gram Zindagi, Tera Zikr and separate "Making - of" videos of each songs were released subsequently through various online and television broadcasting outlets. Frequent interviews and pressers were conducted as a part of the promotional strategy.
In late-October, a public interest litigation was filed by Aditya Dewan, a lawyer, in Delhi High Court
alleging that Guzaarish promotes euthanasia
or mercy killing, which is illegal, and portrays the legal profession in bad light. He demanded a disclaimer from the producers saying mercy killing is not legal in India and that there is a debate on whether such deaths can be allowed. But the case was dismissed by the court saying the facts averred were inadequate for the court to appreciate and that it cannot be entertained in its present form. "PILs are loose too, for people with hidden agendas. The film is a love story of a man and his life and, yes, euthanasia is part of the narrative," said Screwala, the producer of the film.
Another controversy regarding the movie started brewing when the first look of the move was released which showed the lead actor Aishwarya Rai smoking in a car. National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) India, the body working for tobacco eradication, wrote to actor Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan expressing concern over use of her images smoking a cigarette in the banners of film Guzaarish displayed all over Mumbai. The organization's spokes-person said in a press release that it would issue a legal notice to the actor under the provisions of the anti-tobacco legislation for the alleged advertisement of tobacco smoking in the public. Later, the Raj Thackeray-led MNS also objected to the " 'insidious' effects of a cigarette smoking Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plastered across posters on BEST buses in the city."
Director Ram Gopal Verma in the social networking site Twitter, had posted "Just cannot stand the close up of Hritik's teeth being brushed by Aishwarya, anyday will watch Dhoom 2
ten times again, but then I am the maker of Aag " . Bhansali who was more annoyed and amused than angry commented, "I really have no time or patience with this sort of behavior. Ramu has always met me with much enthusiasm about my films in the past. So if he had an opinion on Guzaarish he should have shared it with me instead of putting it on Twitter. And by the way, doesn't he have a release coming up (Rakta Charitra)? He should just focus on that instead of worrying about the content of other people's films." Later Verma apologised to Bhansali saying " I'm sorry if I offended you. I just have this habit of constantly saying something funny on Twitter about every happening out there. Most of the comments are on me. I make more comments on my own films than anybody else's. I'll take back my remark publicly asap. Sorry again." SLB immediately chose to forgive and forgot and move on." He also raised several eyebrows when he added that "If anything so enamoured of hatred can be called a peace offering, then yes I'm releasing Rakht Charitra 2 on the same day (November 19) as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish." Later Raktha Charithra 2 's release date was postponed to 3 December owing to various factors.
After the film release in November, Akhil Rajendra Dwivedi, a script writer, sued Bhansali for Rs. 2 crore alleging that the director used his script without informing him. Dwivedi claimed that he had registered his script, very similar to that of Guzaarish, in 2005 and had even met Bhansali in 2008. He alleged that the director had loved the script and said that he would get back to Dwivedi in a few weeks time. Dwivedi claimed that Bhansali never reverted and was unreachable for Dwivedi.
Salman Khan
, a close associate of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, in an award ceremony Super Idols, for felicitating specially-abled people, by television channel IBN-7
, took potshots at Guzaarish, hinting at its poor box office collection and said that "Recently a movie released, Guzaarish, oops sorry! and I made a movie on HIV/ AIDS, not even a dog came to watch the movie." Later in the same event, he said to one of the winner of the awards, "I will give you the number of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, you write it down, he has made Black, Khamoshi, made many pictures and made heaps of money but may be it won't come out, but it should come out." The comments came as a shocker to many, since Salman was one of Bhansali's favorites and the lead actor in his first movie Khamoshi
and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
. Bhansali reacted saying that “If such an old and trusted friend can be so insensitive I don’t want anything to do with the entertainment industry”.But the lead actor Hrithik Roshan was irked enough and said "It’s not heroic to laugh or make fun of a filmmaker just because his box office collections are not up there with yours. Guzaarish is a super success in its own way.because I know deep inside he only has love for me and this must have been just a momentary lapse of judgement. Will expect a big hug the next time I meet him "
The film's storyline is also similar to 2004 Spanish film The Sea Inside, which was based on a true story of a sailor Ramón Sampedro
who becomes a quadriplegic following an accident.
) were busy sending out bulk messages against the film during the premiere. Since the Saawariya premiere took place two nights (on Wednesday rather than Thursday) before its public release the damage done was irreparable. Sanjay decided there and then to never have a premiere of any of his films."
The director had the first screening of Guzaarish for the cast members and their families on Monday night. Though the lead actor Hrithik Roshan along with wife Sussanne Khan attended the special screening, Aishwarya Rai and her family were conspicuous by their absence. After the screening, the director allowed himself to be convinced to show the film to a few chosen ones.
Hence he specially handpicked 30 invitees include the Bachchan family, leading man Hrithik's parents Pinky and Rakesh Roshan
, Hrithik Roshan's Father- in-law Sanjay Khan
, Shabana Azmi
and Javed Akhtar
, Deepika Padukone
, Rohan Sippy
, Karan Johar
, Ashutosh Gowariker
, Rajkumar Hirani
, Vidhu Vinod Chopra
, Goldie Bhel singer Kunal Ganjawala
, film Maker Akbar Khan, fashion designers Sandip Khosla, Manish Malhothra, and Shahid Kapoor
who was currently shooting for Pankaj Kapoor
's Mausam. Bhansali told the media, "What is the sense of inviting people you know are not going to have anything good to say about your film? I am totally against a premiere. At the same time there are people I want to share the film with." According to Bhansali he already had got the "big thumbs-up" he needed, "For me, it was more than enough that my mother liked the film. All other opinions, I'll take with a pinch of salt."
Later, Aishwarya Rai also requested for a special screening of the movie for her family. According to Rai, this was a special gift to her father, who was celebrating his birthday on the same date. It was also attended by directors Subhash Ghai
, David Dhawan
, actors Shabana Azmi
and Sonam Kapoor
who was then shooting for the movies Players and Mausam
."
gave the movie a four star rating stating "Guzaarish is unabashedly Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In a film where life itself is the villain everything is larger than life, no surprise there. The house is grand, the characters even more so, the laughter is magnificent, the pain operatic and the treatment of all of the above is colossal in a deafening, attention seeking way that leaves no room for subtext or imagination." Reuters
trashed the movie for its over the top performances and stated that the lead actor Hrithik Roshan is the only saving grace of the movie where "everything else, like Aishwarya Rai’s make-up, seems fake and loud, and puts you off. The emotions, the set design, the dialogues, Hrithik Roshan’s beard are all out of this world, residing in some alien planet that only Bhansali inhabits." Rajeev Masand
of CNN IBN
gave it a two star rating explaining "Guzaarish may be less esoteric than his last film, Saawariya, but it's still an unsatisfying effort because the filmmaker continues to invest more in the appearance of every frame than in the emotional truth of his characters. Its various subplots inspired from different films, Guzaarish is a mash-up of many interesting ideas." He stated that the magic is missing in this one.
Anupama Chopra
of NDTV
gave a three star rating saying "This fantasy would be effective if the writing was more organic and the emotions felt more authentic but Bhansali never gives us a chance to invest in these people." She noted that the movie is a mix of as much clumsiness as that strong performances and scenes which moves the audience. One of earliest reviews was published in Bollywood Hungama
by critic Taran Adarsh
who opined, "Bhansali has worked himself to the grind and his presence is felt in every frame of Guzaarish and that the movie is one of the most profound, insightful and enriching dramas of the year." The reviewer gave a four star rating to the movie praising the performances by the lead actors and the cinematography of the movie. On the lead actors Adarsh said "In fact, the two actors have gone through a drastic appearance change and both pressurize you to believe that they are indeed Ethan and Sofia." The MSN
review received a three and a half rating from the users and praised the movie for the performances by the cast, the cinematography and its subtle approach to a sensitive issue. However the review did criticize the movie for the lack of a forceful script, and contrived scenes.
The Hindu
reviewer Sudhish Kamath gave a negative review to the movie and heaped praises on the lead actor Hrithik Roshan saying that "Hrithik Roshan gives one of the best performances of his career as a man trapped in a wheelchair/bad film, desperately craving for freedom.." As a bottomline he said that Guzaarish is "Highly pretentious, boring film with leftover craving-for-your-sympathy melodrama from Black and unused sets from Saawariya". The Times of India
, which gave a four and a half rating, mentioned that "Guzaarish is an unusual film in many respects". Sudeep Chatterjee, the cinematographer was praised for the "collage of riveting paintings on screen which showcased both the interior of the mansion and outsides of Goa like an art gallery". The review noted that "A film like Guzaarish isn't made for the box office. It's made for the gratification of the senses. And that it does, in ample measure." India Today
reviewer Kaveree Bamzai gave a two star rating said that the movie is "spectacularly silly, pretentiously ponderous. The only thing worth the price of the ticket is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. This is one woman who is finally coming into her own. Whether it is her dancing to the Udi song or moaning in simulated ecstasy, she is lively, animated and pretty much stripped of the artifice we have associated her with forever."
The Pioneer gave six out of ten rating and noted "all fears are dispelled in the first 10 minutes of this finely made and delicately executed two-hour love emotion. With a taste for elegant grandeur and a keen eye on chic cinematography, Bhansali has lent Guzaarish a picture-perfect look which we hardly get to see in domestic cinema. Not to forget the theme of Quadriplegia which, too, has been dealt with sensitivity." Zee News
gave the movie a positive review saying that "Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish is not a film but moving poetry that touches you in manifold ways. Guzaarish is the most extraordinary love story of Bollywood which unravels the patient-nurse bond through Ethan and Sophie. Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan light up the silver screen with their sizzling on-screen chemistry, which takes Guzaarish to an altogether different level." Mumbai Mirror
gave a 5 star rating to the movie and noted that "the beauty of the film lies in its ability to throw light on a morbid subject, compelling the viewer to fall back in love with life." The review added that the audience would feel "a Hrithik hangover that stays with you long after you have left the theatre."
Hindustan Times
reviewer Mayank Shankar gave it a three star rating and noted "this is a film where aesthetics overpower everything else. Being mesmerized by the beauty of the big screen isn’t always such a great thing. You get overwhelmed at first; leave slightly under-whelmed, eventually." Deccan Herald
noted that only select - audience may find the movie appealing saying that "the performances stand out. Hrithik Roshan does brings some tears to your eyes and even Aishwarya comes up with an original act. But, as said, the blacks and greys of Guzaarish might appeal only to Bhansali viewers."
Deccan Chronicle gave a four star rating noting that Hrithik Roshan is a saving grace of the movie. The review said: "Guzaarish is an affected film with a contrived plot and a severe Jesus complex. It is obsessed with how it looks, walks and poses. But in this self-conscious world lives and breathes a class act — Hrithik Roshan. He creates an emotional core so powerful and compelling that the film’s flaws pale in his brilliance." The South African news paper The Sunday Times
gave a nine star rating and said "Guzaarish is a movie about hope, magic and life. Bhansali has done it as a tribute to the nightingale Lata Mangeshkar who, he claims, has been his biggest inspiration. There are times that the pace may work in its favour, but its overall message and spirit will triumph, and it will be a memory that will linger on forever." Khaleej Times
said "this wonderful work of art, nuanced and magical in its portrayal, is about dying. But Ethan, as played by Hrithik Roshan in Guzaarish, is so bemused by adversity that he can actually look at his own suffering with dispassionate humour."
The Telegraph
cited that "Guzaarish is a Hrithik Roshan film, which salvages, to some extent, the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. In motion, his on-stage moves are real magic. In suspended animation, he is able to channelise every emotion in the book through his eyes." However the Rediff review by noted critic Raja Sen criticized Bhansali for his "tireless attempt to once again bring old-world theatricality - in all its surreal opulence - to our silver screen" and gave two and a half rating. He added that "the Sanjay Leela Bhansali circus whirrs on, but to what avail? It's like an old Disney musical - just without the wit. Or, ironically given this film's subject, the magic. Here is a filmmaker who needs a playwright - and, in equal measure, an occasional slap on the wrist." Sify
movies, which also gave a two and a half rating, said that Bhansali lives in a universe of his own cut of from the rest of the world. The review sharply criticizing Bhansali's style of movie making noted that "It’s a dry subject anyway, but co-producer-writer-director Bhansali makes sure it gets super-gloomy." Daily News and Analysis reviewer gave a three star rating and noted "Guzaarish is one of those films that are not meant to entertain so much as to shake you by the intensity of their content and the force of their performances. Bhansali deserves as much credit for the splendid direction as Sudeep Chatterjee for the breathtaking cinematography. The music, again by Bhansali, and the artistic visual imagery that the film evokes act as lifesavers when the screenplay gets a bit monotonous."
Komal Nahta
, a freelance film critic, gave the movie one and a half stars stating that though the movie has power-packed performances, it will be rejected by masses and in towns and villages, owing to its class-appealing subject. He said "It has been made exceptionally beautifully and boasts of extraordinary performance by the main protagonist, Ethan. Not only is the drama soul-stirring and emotionally moving but the film is also visually extraordinary." Subhash K Jha also echoed similar thoughts as that of Adarsh, saying that "No film in living memory has brought out the sheer blessing of being alive with such spirit and glory". According to him the music score of the movie "communicate the rich tapestried emotions of lives that are determined to smile through an extraordinary tragedy". Amitabh Bachchan
, veteran film actor, shared his views on Guzaarish in his blog and said that he was "dumbfounded and almost speechless" by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who "raises the bar by leaps and it becomes very difficult to keep up with him ". He specifically appreciated the performance of Aditya Roy Kapur , who according to him had been the "most fascinating watch."
Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
gave a 3 star rating in which Australian critic and columnist Simon Foster described it as a "A melodrama that never says in two words what it can say in ten, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish balances its blubbery sentimentality with some beautifully-realised images to heart-warming and generally likable effect.
Satish Kaushik
stated "Aishwarya is unbeatable and looks beautiful on screen. And here was a tremendous performance that came straight from the heart. She moved on screen like a swan on lake. Guzaarish is sheer poetry and I just loved Aishwarya's performance in it. It was brave and radical on Hrithik's part to accept this role. Aishwarya and Hrithik's Last scene was the most heartbreaking. Hats off to him for putting his heart, mind and soul into creating Ethan."
himself, who makes his debut as a music director with this film. The lyrics are penned by A.M. Turaz, Vibhu Puri, and the late Jagdish Joshi.
The official music launch of Guzaarish took place on 22 October 2010. The event was hosted by Aditya Roy Kapur. Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan
, who had received his Best Actor National Award a second time for Bhansali's movie Black, was the guest of honour for the event, which also saw Bhansali's mother, Leela Bhansali gracing the occasion. Abhishek Bachchan
also attended the event to extend his support for his wife. Actors Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Shernaz Patel, Suhel Seth, Monikangana Dutta, UTV chairman Ronnie Screwvala and Bhansali himself along with the entire music and background team were present in the music launch.
When the album was released, Bhansali told the audience that he could never have got a better person to release his first album as a music director than Amitabh Bachchan. Overcome with emotions he touched Bachchan's feet to get his blessings to which Bachchan reciprocated warmly and said “I am glad that Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made such a wonderful film with this issue which no one has seen to date”. Bhansali said, "I learnt music by listening to it over and over again. My association with R. D. Burman saab in Vidhu's (Vidhu Vinod Chopra
) film and music composers such as Ismail Darbar
and Monty (Sharma), helped me to learn a lot." He reiterated the reason why he scored the music for the movie but ruled out the rumor that he would be composing the music for all his forthcoming films.
Bhansali said in an interview after the music launch that, though he had no favorites, the song "Sau Gram Zindagi" was close to his heart. Spreading light on how Guzaarish occurred, he told that he had conceived the lines Bas Itni Si Guzaarish Hain, Yeh Jo Baarish Hain while shooting for the film Black in 2003.
Singers Shankar Mahadevan
, KK, Kunal Ganjawala
, Vibhavari Joshi, and Shail Hada
, who had lent their voices to the film's soundtrack were also present at the event. The singers also gave a stage performance of each of their songs in the album. Bhansali along with the singers sang the song "Sau Gram Zindagi". He said that he dedicated the song to his mother since the lyrics represented her life in all ways. The highlight of the gala night was when the lead actors along with Bhansali sang the song, "Udi" to which the entire audience grooved happily.
During the music launch, Hrithik Roshan was lavish in his praises of Bhansali, saying that the director ".. is just pure genius, and that's exactly what he was as a music director as well. For most people Guzaarish is just another film, but its just like nature, you cannot possibly put into words this beautiful journey. It's beyond judgment for me." He also thanked Bhansali for making them a part of Guzaarish. Aishwarya Rai supported her director-friend saying "Sanjay is such a genius, anything he does he is the best at it. I'm just blessed and very grateful that I have gotten a chance to work with this genius three times in my career."
When queried on why he had not included his Devdas
discovery Shreya Ghoshal in his first album, Sanjay Bhansali said “My songs have all come from the heart, nothing is calculated. Shreya has reached a pinnacle and her not singing in my film where no song needed her will not make a difference. I was only the zariya for her destiny,” He also said that "Shail Hada, my music assistant who had sung the title-song of Saawariya, was the best thing because through his seasoned vocals I could know exactly how the song would sound,”.
Vibhavari Apte-Joshi, who had sung the song Saiba, which appears during the climax of the movie, had been well received by the audience. The leading actress Aishwarya herself told her during the music launch function that she was happy to get Vibhavari’s beautiful voice for her in the film. Joshi responded saying “It is actually my pleasure that I could sing for the beautiful actress.” She was spotted by Bhansali while she was performing in a music reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - Aajcha Awaaj aired on a Marathi channel. About the song, Joshi said that, "It is a Konkani - Hindi song. The pronunciation was not that difficult for me as I had sung old Konkani songs in many of my shows. However, the experience of learning the song from Bhansali sir was amazing. He emphasised on expression and asked me to think of the character’s mindset as it had to suit the situation.”
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
drama romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian film director. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India...
, starring Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai for which Roshan earned his Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut...
and Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
in the lead roles. The film is produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ronnie Screwvala
Ronnie Screwvala
Ronnie Screwvala is an Indian film producer and CEO and founder chairman of which recently partnered with Walt Disney, Fox Searchlight, Sony and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment production company, expanding its global reach.In September 2008, he was named amongst, Esquires List of the 75...
under the banner of SLB Films and UTV Motion Pictures
UTV Motion Pictures
UTV Motion Pictures Plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Software Communications Ltd. , based in London media and entertainment production company...
.
The first look of Guzaarish was released on 23 September 2010. The film was released on 19 November 2010. Despite being an average grosser at the box office, the film received critical acclaim and awards and nominations in all the leading award ceremonies of the country.
Plot
The story is set in GoaGoa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, home to one of the most accomplished magicians of the time - Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai for which Roshan earned his Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut...
). As fate would have had it, Ethan is severely injured when his former best friend Yaseer Siddiqui (Ash Chandler), who was also a magician betrays him by ruining one of his dangerous magic trick, causing him to become quadriplegic. Now in a wheelchair, Ethan's willpower only gets stronger and stronger. He becomes the Radio Jockey of an FM Station called Radio Zindagi. His show spreads magic and hope and laughter through his irrepressible wit and humor to every listener and caller, making it difficult to imagine that this is a man who has been living with a spinal injury for the last fourteen years of his life. Sofia D'Souza (Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
), is his elegant nurse who has been accompanying him like a shadow for the past twelve years, leaving her domineering husband. Ethan and Sofia share a beautiful bond of love.
However, on the fourteenth anniversary of his accident, Ethan decides to take matters into his own hands and files an appeal to the court for euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
(mercy killing). This leaves Sofia in an impasse that challenges their relationship and their love. Ethan takes the help of his best friend and lawyer Devyani Dutta (Shernaz Patel
Shernaz Patel
Shernaz Patel is an Indian film and theatre actor, who works in Hindi and English films, most known for her roles in films like Black and Guzaarish and English language theatre in Mumbai. She made her theatre debut with The Diary Of Anne Frank in 1984...
) to support his appeal. Devyani , initially hesitates but later, understands Ethan's appeal and agrees to his reasoning and decides to support him in his cause, as a result of which she is sensed as being callous by others. Surprising everyone with her stance, Ethan's mother Isabel Mascarenhas (Nafisa Ali) also supports him in his petition, backing her son's demand. Though Ethan is consistently persuaded by his physician Dr. Nayak (Suhel Seth), a neurologist, to retract his case, he finally relents to Ethan's appeal when he realizes that the friend in him is much stronger than the medic.
Alongside all the confusions, a young man named Omar Siddiqui (Aditya Roy Kapoor) enters Ethan's life with the sole aim of learning magic from this man whom he considers to be the greatest of magicians. Omar is earnest and driven by a passion to learn magic, hyper-kinetic, quicksilver in his actions - an antithesis to Ethan's inertness. Impressed by his love for magic, Ethan agrees to pass on his legacy to Omar even as he fights tooth and nail to demand the most basic right to his own life. The ethics, the morality, the cruelty and the kindness of Ethan's mission causes everyone to be struck by a whirlwind of emotions scaling from rage to sorrow.
Judge Rajhansmoni (Vijay Crishna) dismisses the case immediately when the case is presented in the court. Devyani asks Ethan to garner public support through a vote on the issue through his radio programme, which Ethan christens "Project Euthanasia." The scenario takes an unexpected turn when though many of his audience vote against his decision, Estella Francis (Monikangana Dutta
Monikangana Dutta
Moni Kangana Dutta is an Indian model and actress based in Mumbai. She hails from Guwahati, Assam and studied at the Matreyi College, University of Delhi.-Modeling:In 2001, Dutta won the Metropolitan Top Model Contest of France...
) his former assistant and girlfriend and now a wife and a mother with work of her own, becomes the first person to vote in favour of Ethan as she understands his situation.
The issue comes into the limelight through news features in the television media and other public discussions. An appeal is once again submitted to the court and court proceedings start regarding the mercy killing petition by Ethan, which involves interrogation of Ethan's mother Isabel and close friends. The days become harder for Ethan as his mother passes away and Sofia is dragged away by her alcoholic husband, Neville D'Souza (Makarand Deshpande) against whom she had filed a divorce case and he longs for her love. It is also revealed that Omar is the son of Yaseer.
Finally the day of verdict comes and Ethan's plea is rejected by the court, citing the legal code of the country cannot be violated in any circumstance. A disheartened Ethan spends his time alone in his empty home when Sofia returns. She confesses to Ethan that she got the divorce and tells him that she will help with his mercy-killing, whatever the consequences be as Ethan means more to her. On hearing her words, Ethan realizes how much Sofia loves him. He proposes her, after Sofia agrees, they embrace each other and swear that no one could separate them till death...
Ethan throws a farewell party for their friends and guests, where Ethan speaks about everyone who has meant very dear to him and finally tells everyone about his and Sofia's love. Everyone is surprised and overjoyed as they knew of their love. Ethan asks Sofia to walk to him as his wife, not a servant. Sofia, heartbroken, walks to him and kisses him, for the first and last time and hugs him lovingly. Ethan says that he will be dying a happy man with no regrets and the heart full of Sofia's love and bids all goodbye. At these words, all the guests, come to his couch and hug him, and the shot closes on Ethan laughing heartily.
Cast
- Hrithik RoshanHrithik RoshanHrithik Roshan is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai for which Roshan earned his Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut...
as Ethan Mascarenhas - Aishwarya RaiAishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
as Sofia D'Souza/Mascarenhas - Shernaz PatelShernaz PatelShernaz Patel is an Indian film and theatre actor, who works in Hindi and English films, most known for her roles in films like Black and Guzaarish and English language theatre in Mumbai. She made her theatre debut with The Diary Of Anne Frank in 1984...
as Devyani Dutta - Nafisa Ali as Isabel Mascarenhas
- Aditya Roy Kapoor as Omar Siddique
- Monikangana DuttaMonikangana DuttaMoni Kangana Dutta is an Indian model and actress based in Mumbai. She hails from Guwahati, Assam and studied at the Matreyi College, University of Delhi.-Modeling:In 2001, Dutta won the Metropolitan Top Model Contest of France...
as Estella Francis - Suhel Seth as Dr. Nayak
- Rajit Kapoor as Prosecutor Vipin Patel
- Ash Chandler as Yasser Siddique
- Vijay Crishna as Judge Rajhansmoni
- Makarand Deshpande as Neville D'Souza
- Sanjay Lafont as Father Samuel
- Jineet Rath as Little Ethan
- Parveen Rabbani as Rosy
- Farida Mistry as Maria
- Achint KaurAchint KaurAchint Kaur is an Indian television actress who comes from a Punjabi background and is famous for working in some of the popular Hindi language drama series...
as Saroj Vaidya - Swara Bhaskar as Radhika Talwar
- Shaun Williams as Dick Fernandes
- Priya Antaram as Pamela Fernandes
- Derek Affonso as Markz
- K C Shankar as Yasser's Assistant
Development
After completing SaawariyaSaawariya
Saawariya is a 2007 Hindi film based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's short story "White Nights".Co-produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment and released on 9 November 2007, it is the first Bollywood movie to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio, shortly preceding Walt Disney Pictures'...
, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had decided to focus more on his SLB Film production house. Chenab Gandhi starring Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
, Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films....
, and John Abraham
John Abraham (actor)
John Abraham is an Indian film actor and former model. After modeling for numerous advertisements and companies, Abraham made his film debut with Jism , which earned him a Filmfare Best Debut Award nomination. This was followed by his first commercial success, Dhoom...
was being talked about in the industry. Meanwhile, he was also focusing on his sister Bela Sehgal's directorial venture, earlier titled, Hadippa. A few news reports suggested that Bhansali had confirmed his next project - a young love story called Hamari Jaan Ho Tum, starring Udit Narayan's son Aditya Narayan and Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt , is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter.Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam and Zakhm....
's daughter. He had denied the rumors stating he was not into any such project.
Other reports stated he had begun working on a film called Heera Mandi. Bhansali had got two male actors and one female actress flown in from Pakistan to train them in acting. But with the death of Begum Para, one of his actors in Saawariya, who was also supposed to star in Heera Mandi, the crew had ran into casting problems. So Bhansali started working on an untitled film starring Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan.
Later Bhansali himself cleared the air in an interview that, though he had met a Pakistani actor called Imran Abbas on the insistence of the writer of Heera Mandi, Moin Beg, at around the end of 2007, he had realised that the actor did not fit Bhansali's needs. But he did confirm that he would definitely make Heera Mandi much later and when it happened he would think of the casting.
Bhansali first told media about his next directorial venture, when he gave an interview to the Indo-Asian News Service
Indo-Asian News Service
Indo-Asian News Service or IANS is India's largest private news agency. The IANS is run by a group of professional journalists.The IANS was founded by Indian American publisher Gopal Raju as the India Abroad News Service. It was later renamed the Indo-Asian News Service...
(IANS). In the interview he said that he had decided to call his film, Guzaarish, which is set to be shot in Goa. Bhansali stated that Guzaarish is his tribute to the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...
; "I learnt direction from her voice. ‘Guzaarish’ is my tribute to Lata-ji’s artistry,” Bhansali told IANS. He added that the screenplay of the movie is also inspired by Lata’s passion for excellence.
He said that Lata's songs and their lyrics had been used "...to fuel the intense love story. For instance, the song Hai tere saath meri wafaa, main nahin to kya? forms an important part of the film..."
When queried on why he chose a topic which explored the life of a quadriplegic, the filmmaker said he likes taking up subjects that are closer to life and not very much talked about. He added that the movie makes one "...aware about the beauty of life and what we have and how we should cherish what we have.. I have learnt so much about living a good life, of becoming a better human being and of evolving as a person".
Later in an interview Sanjay Leela Bhansali opened up and said that "I've lived the pain of facing the isolation of failure after Saawariya. it was the toughest time of my life. Suddenly everyone disappeared, and that included the people who had worked with me on Saawariya for two years. Because of the suffering I began to get seriously interested in the subject of mercy killing. I began to read up as much as possible on the subject. My research showed that mercy killing was prohibited by law in many countries including India .Almost a year of studying the super-sensitive subject, I concluded that every human being should have the right to die with dignity. The pain and suffering and the dignity with which I bore them prompted me to make a film on mercy killing."
Casting
Bhansali was on the lookout for a mature couple for the portrayal of his lead roles in Guzaarish. His admiration for his muse Aishwarya Rai was a very well known fact. After watching her films Dhoom 2Dhoom 2
Dhoom 2: Back In Action is a 2006 Bollywood action film directed by Sanjay Gadhvi and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra at an estimated budget of Rs 350 million. It is the second film in the Dhoom series. Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra star in the film as buddy cops Jai Dixit and Ali,...
and Jodhaa Akbar, both of which had starred both herself and Hrithik Roshan, Bhansali decided that the pair exuded a dignity and elegance much needed for his film. He also told IANS that Hrithik and Aishwarya have been chosen to play the passionate lovers in 'Guzaarish' because to Bhansali, they epitomized the physical and spiritual beauty of Lata Mangeshkar's voice."
When the stars had been signed on, Hrithik Roshan was filming for the film Kites, while Aishwarya Rai was shooting in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
for the bilingual Raavan
Raavan
Raavan is a 2010 Hindi film directed, written and produced by Mani Ratnam. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Vikram in the lead roles while Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Nikhil Dwivedi, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Priyamani feature in key supporting roles...
/Raavanan. As a result, though Bhansali wanted to start the shooting of the movie by early 2009, the start got delayed since the lead actor suggested postponing the film until he wrapped up his home production Kites." He added that the project was "..definitely going into a different territory, in more ways than one,” hinting at a unique shooting location. Later, sources from the movie said that bulk dates of the two actors had been taken and for the following four months, the film would be shot in Mumbai and two other outdoor locations, which were not disclosed then. It was reported that Roshan would start shooting from July 2009.
For her part, Aishwarya Rai said that both Bhansali and herself had evolved together and were both similar — totally driven and passionate. She stated that the director ".. was so excited when he found the right script for us to work together in". She had similar views about her co-star Hrithik Roshan with whom, she said, she shared an amazing rapport.
Hrithik Roshan said in an interview that Bhansali’s film is the only film "....that I’ve accepted after Kites. I just jumped at it. We’re both very passionate film persons. Though there’s one other script that I’m looking at, nothing touched my soul except Bhansali’s script.”
Apart from the two big stars, Bhansali had also signed model Monikangana Dutta to play Hrithik’s former love interest in the film. Sources had revealed then that Dutta would be playing the role of Hrithik's estranged lover. It was announced that Dutta had been signed for a two-movie deal and that "...Guzaarish would be the first and the second might be a solo launch for her. Monika is obviously very excited about bagging the role. She is not allowed to make many public appearances and remains discreet about the film deal...” Bhansali was very tight-lipped when asked about Dutta and gave a very brief response saying that her role was pivotal to the film.
During the music release of Guzaarish, it was revealed that Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai were the first choices of the director. Though Rai had agreed to the script without even reading it, Roshan was all set to say no to Sanjay's next. According to Hrithik Roshan "... five minutes into the story narration, I knew that I just couldn’t say no". Hrithik felt that though he had "..played superheroes before. But I feel my character in 'Guzaarish' is the biggest superhero. I learnt how to live life after playing this role. This film will make you smile and give you courage".
Bhansali said that he had always wanted to work together with Roshan for a very long time as he was impressed by his sincerity as an actor. He added that the script of Guzaarish gave him the right opportunity to sign him. About the leading lady, Aishwarya Rai, he said that the role suited her to perfection and though she would have accepted his offer, it was important for an actor to be convinced of what he or she is doing.
Bhansali stated that if any of the leading cast had refused to sign, he wouldn't have made Guzaarish. According to him "..the film was only possible if Hrithik and Aishwarya had acted in it".
Amita Sehgal, Casting Director, roped in other actors including Shernaz Patel who was last seen in Bhansali's Black as Michelle McNally's mother, Catherine McNally. Vijay Crishna who was seen in Devdas
Devdas
Devdas is a Bengali Romance novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Essentially, it is a retelling of the Krishna, Radha, and Meera myths, the relationships between its three protagonists - Devdas, Parvati, and Chandramukhi - paralleling the Hindu deities'.-Plot summary:Devdas is a young man from...
as the authoritarian father made a comeback in Bhansali's cast ensemble. There were rumors initially that Suhel Seth who was last seen in Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt is an Indian film actress and model, currently devoting time to film production and direction. She is the daughter of Indian film director Mahesh Bhatt.-Early life:...
's Rog
Rog
The film's soundtrack is composed by M.M. Kreem with lyrics penned by Neelesh Misra and Sayeed Quadri.-Tracklist:...
had been engaged to play Hrithik's doctor, which were later confirmed. Further, inclusion of Nafisa Ali cemented Bhansali's penchant for picking up his cast from off the beaten track.
Another inclusion was Aditya Roy Kapoor, brother of UTV Executive Producer, Siddharth Roy Kapur, who also was working simultaneously in another of Aishwarya Rai's films, Action Replayy.
It was reported that yesteryear actor couple Dharmendra
Dharmendra
Dharmendra Singh Deol |Punjab]]), better known as Dharmendra, is an award-winning Hindi film actor who has appeared in more than 247 Hindi-language films as of 2011. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Hindi cinema and also another Lifetime...
and Hema Malini
Hema Malini
Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director and producer, as well as a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer. Making her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar , she went on to appear in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband Dharmendra. She was initially promoted as...
's younger daughter Ahana Deol and Aditya Pancholi
Aditya Pancholi
Aditya Pancholi is an Indian film actor working in Hindi Cinema. Aditya has also proved his worth in many villainous roles as well, the recent being Dum Maro Dum. His performance in Yes Boss and the double role in Jung was very well received.-Early life:He's the son of the filmmaker Rajan...
and Zarina Wahab
Zarina Wahab
Zarina Wahab is an Indian actress and former model, who was critically acclaimed for starring roles, such as in Chit Chor and Gopal Krishna in the 1970s.-Early life:...
's son, Sooraj Pancholi served Bhansali as Assistant Directors (AD) on the sets of Guzaarish. While Sooraj Pancholi did work as an Assistant Director for the first 2 schedules, Ahana Deol never worked as an AD.
Theater actor Makrand Deshpande
Makrand Deshpande
Makarand Deshpande is an Indian actor, writer, and director in Hindi and Marathi films and theatre. He is often seen in supporting and pivotal roles in various films like Jungle, Sarfarosh, Swades, Makdee, and Darna Zaroori Hai where he often plays drunkard, wayfarer roles. He has directed over 5...
was recruited to play an important three-minute cameo in the film on Hrithik Roshan's suggestion.
Dileep Subramaniam is the sound designer of the film. He has years of experience as sound designer in films like 'My Name is Khan' and currently on floor Imtiaz Ali's 'Rockstar'. That film won best film on the ZigZag awards.
Pre-production works
Before starting the filming of Guzaarish, Bhansali visited Ajmer Dargah in RajasthanRajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
for seeking blessings. Bhansali also met the singing legend Lata Mangeshkar, whom he had revealed to be the source of inspiration to him, to seek her blessings before he fully embarked on filming Guzaarish.
During the meeting, Mangeshkar told that she was a big fan of Bhansali’s films and that she was fortunate to be the source of inspiration behind such a talented director’s film. She told the media members that “..Even I had heard that he makes his singers hear my songs over and over again before making them sing. I’ve always been a big fan of Sanjay’s films, specially Black. I remember watching the Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
in the year of Black. Every time the nominations were announced I prayed for Black to win. And it did. If I’m a source of inspiration to him then I count myself fortunate”.
Bhansali candidly admitted that he was very much afraid of meeting Lata since "..one doesn't hobnob with one's god". He added that once he reached her home, he "... just wanted to sit and gaze at her. I realised in person she’s as magical as she is in her singing. There’s something other-worldly about her, a quality I haven’t encountered in anyone else in my life”.
Like all his other films, Bhansali preferred shooting at a studio. Bhansali says, "I like to construct sets and then light it up. It is a part of my story telling. My story needs a setting and I like to create that ambiance." Hence he chose Filmcity, Mumbai to shoot the movie.
Before the actual filming started, Hrithik Roshan spent time with a lot of patients to understand his role better and get into the skin of his character. He revealed that he used to “.. spend six hours with the patients, initially once a week and then once a month. I used to go to understand what they go through, what they think, what their needs are. They have taught me a lot of things. So if I have benefited from this experience so much, I am sure that when people see the film and understand the character, they will get a lot to learn”.
Since Roshan's character was a paraplegic
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek: παραπληγίη "half-striking". It is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal...
, Bhansali wanted to give him a natural look. Hence he was instructed by the director not to indulge in his regular workouts since he cannot look fit and trim in the film. He was also asked by the director to spot an original beard unlike the artificial one in his previous film, Kites, so as to give touches of authenticity to his character.
The movie is set in Goa ,and hence, Bhansali wanted to give a Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
touch to his frames. Sumit Basu, the Art Director, created Ethan's House in Mehboob Studio
Mehboob Studio
Mehboob Studio is an Indian film studio and recording studio in Bandra , Mumbai, founded by director-producer Mehboob Khan in 1954 who owned Mehboob Productions, and is most known for the films like Mother India , which won the Filmfare Awards for Best Film and Best Director and was a nominee for...
with a very Spanish/Portuguese flavour and the auditorium for magic acts, the court room, Martin's Bar in Yash Raj Studio. Also keeping in mind the costumes Bhansali hired Sabhyasachi Mukerjee as the costume designer, who had worked Bhansali in Black. Mukherjee had earlier worked in the film Raavan with Aishwarya Rai the same year.
Filming
The film's shooting started on 29 July 2009 at Mehboob Studio, Mumbai. It was announced that the first schedule would be shot in July and August to capture the monsoon melody and romance of the place. It is notable that Bhansali came back to GoaGoa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
after his first film, Khamoshi: The Musical
Khamoshi: The Musical
Khamoshi: The Musical is a critically acclaimed Indian Hindi film which was released on 9 August 1996. The film starred Nana Patekar, Manisha Koirala, Salman Khan, Seema Biswas and Helen, and marked Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directorial debut...
for filming a movie. During the first day of shooting, he made sure that his mother was present on the sets. Sources revealed that his mother was his reason for making films and ".. it is imperative that she be present." Hrithik Roshan joined the crew on 22 July. Aishwarya Rai joined the crew during the initial part of August after wrapping up the shoot for Raavan / Raavanan . A specially made to order remote-controlled modernized wheelchair was used in the movie for the role of Ethan Mascarenhas.
The next outdoor session of the film was done in Panjim. The lead actors had stayed at the Taj, Goa. During the day shoot at Divar, the unit's base camp was at an Englishman Jan Bostock's home in Divar island, just off Panjim for 4–5 days. Apparently, the film-maker, who is known for his hot-tempered nature, threw away the continuity sheets of one of the scenes being shot while shooting in the outskirts of Goa when one of his assistant directors made the same mistake twice.
Hrithik Roshan sang a Hindi song in the film, after attempting playback singing in his previous movie Kites, in which he had rendered an English song. Bhansali himself personally trained Roshan for the song. Though the director had got the track recorded by another singer so that shooting in Goa could go on uninterrupted, in case Roshan could not complete his recording, his version was finally recorded after four or five takes. Roshan later said in an interview that "Bhansali was really surprised on hearing it."
During the filming of the movie, Bhansali also choreographed some of the songs. He used to dance on the sets of Guzaarish at times to make the moves clear to his actors. Many times he broke into a dance himself to convey the steps that he had in mind. This took most of his crew by surprise.
Pony Verma, who was the choreographer for most of the songs in the film, revealed that as soon as Bhansali conceived a song, he would send it to her and then sing it to her as well. During the shooting of the song, a singer and a guitarist were on the sets. The choreography took place to the accompaniment of live guitar strings and song. According to Verma, this novel way of functioning had enhanced the appeal of the song. She added that when "... the song is playing live, you pick up a lot of nuances on the spot, which really helps the song". Verma was in full praises for Bhansali who gave her complete freedom over the choreography; she also acknowledged the efforts put in by the lead actress Aishwarya Rai, with whom she had frequent discussion about the feel of the song.
The third schedule of the film began on 30 October 2009. The grueling schedule lasted till January 2010, at the city's Mehboob Studios. Rumours had it that during the filming of the movie, Bhansali and Roshan got into a tiff over the excessive use of English in the movie. Roshan, whose previous film Kites was also blamed for having non-Hindi dialogues, did not want to take a risk and lessen Guzaarishs appeal. Though there were no comments from either of them, it was learned that the issue was finally sorted out. Bhansali himself put all speculation to rest saying that ".. we (Hrithik Roshan and himself) were actually singing along quite happily." Later, towards the completion of the film, both the director and the producers, who realized the need to give the film a mass appeal, reworked certain dialogues in English, which were then dubbed in Hindi.
The final schedule of the movie was shot in Yashraj Studios from 21 February 2010. Bhansali found that on the other sets where he had shot the film, he was being frequently disturbed by guests, which prevented him from providing the full concentration which the movie demanded. According to the crew "..Yash Raj Studios was not only classy and had all the facilities but it also doesn’t allow guests to come in." Taking these factors into consideration Bhansali decided to bury the hatchet with Aditya Chopra over a film title and started shooting in the studios. The schedule included a spontaneous dance song with Aishwarya Rai, choreographed by Bhansali himself.
The song "Udi" was pictured during this session which was choreographed by Longinus Fernandes
Longinus Fernandes
Longinus Fernandes is an Indian choreographer and dancer, who won the Filmfare Best Choreography Award in 2009; and internationally he is most known as the choreographer of the closing credits dance sequence featuring Academy Award for Best Original Song winning song, Jai Ho and another featuring...
, whom Bhansali had judged in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, a popular dance based reality show. Fernandes was already known for his works in Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
and Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. According to him Bhansali "..wanted to make the song different and unique. I asked him if we can add a little bit of Spanish to it and give it a raw, earthy feel. He liked the idea, so we gave the whole dance a very rustic look in order to make it look as natural as possible". The choreographer added that the dance sequence was very distinct in that the audience had never seen Rai doing such steps. He went gaga over the lead actress saying that she danced like a dream. Longinus said in an interview that it ".. did not take her long to learn the dance but it did take her some time to perfect it and to get into the mood of the character”.In an interview Sanjay Leela Bhansali said that in the song Udi , "..with such few words Sofia manages to say so much. It was my tribute to Waheeda Rahman’s character in Guide
Guide (film)
Guide is a 1965 Hindi film starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman. It was directed by Vijay Anand, who also contributed to the screenplay. The film is based on the critically acclaimed novel, The Guide, by R. K. Narayan, and is widely considered to be one of the masterpieces of the Indian film...
."In a sequence from the film, Ethan explains Omar, that the first magic he had performed was for his mother. Bhansali said that it is inspired from his childhood days. He said ,"I remember my grandmother selling off the last of her silver and storing chillar in large Johnson baby powder tin. Every afternoon she would count that money and put it back. That kurr-kurr of the coins being bought out, counted and put back had to be heard again. The value of those coins doesn’t exist anymore but it was an important part of my growing up.”
Since Roshan's character, Ethan, plays a magician in the initial portion of the film, a Ukrainian magician was hired for teaching him magic tricks, after a long search for a professional magician. The magic stunts performed by Roshan and Monikangana Dutta formed the major portion of the film shot in the last schedule.
Among the many stunts shot there was a particular sequence in which Roshan had to dance using a large transparent ball as a property. The actor said that he had trained the hardest to practice spin in one of the dance sequence. Roshan said, "I trained for a month. It was not a long piece of dance but there was lot of jazz ballet where I was required to spin as there is a ball in my hand and I am playing with it as well as dancing. None of my songs up till now have spin because I am very bad at it."
The cinematographer of the movie Sudeep Chatterjee was asked to interpret the script completely so that Bhansali could understand his perception too. Praising his director to be very open and cooperative Chatterjee acknowledged in an interview about Bhansali's penchant for closed spaces. He said that his main challenge was to make the scenes look different though the protagonist is locked in a single room. To make these differences the lighting was adjusted such that one sees the room in twilight, at night, during the day, in early morning. The camera was made always mobile to counter Ethan's stillness. Slightly mobile things were deliberately kept always around Ethan like a fluttering curtain , a fish bowl near Ethan's head which according to the cinematographer mocked at his stillness all the time.
To enhance the intensity between his characters, Bhansali wanted a correctly intense reference point for Hrithik and Aishwarya's feelings and conversations. Bhansali said that he thought the sentiment of thwarted passion and smothered intensity of star-crossed lovers in Romeo & Juliet expressed his protagonists' inexpressible feelings very well.Hence he included dialogues from Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet in Guzaarish. Bhansali insisted on Zeffirelli's version since to him "..his work is the ultimate tribute to Shakespeare's love story. So many times, I've wanted to do my own version of Romeo & Juliet. But one look at Zeffirelli's film makes me feel I can never equal his beauty grandeur harmony and principal casting." Though it was difficult to obtain permission to use the materials, an adamant Bhansali accomplished the feat. He said," This was my only chance to pay homage to one of my all-time favourite screen romances."
When asked about the preparation she did for the film, actor Aishwarya Rai said in an interview that both herself and the director Bhansali ".. just like to walk randomly around the sets and “feel”. Sometimes I sit quietly and gaze into space or the ground and he captures all that. In fact, the poster picture with me looking away was taken like that. I was looking at the ground, lost in deep thought and he clicked it and told me that he was putting it on his poster. He knows when I am ready to do a scene, when I am in character, and the like. For instance, I delayed going on the set by two days and he did not say anything. He called me on the set and said we would start shooting in five days. On the second day, I tried hair, make-up, and costume. He told me I was ready to give my first shot and indeed, I was."
About the script Bhansali said that he had worked on the script for 18 months and says, “My film is mainstream in terms of budgets, cast and audience and I had to make sure that I did not hurt anyone but evoked a debate.” He points out that without star-clout, such themes will not make any impact on the audience or society. “And at least till my screenplay reaches the interval point, I do not start casting my actors.”
Styling
The costume designer of the movie Sabyasachi MukherjeeSabyasachi Mukherjee
Sabyasachi Mukherjee is an Indian fashion designer. He sells under his label, 'Sabyasachi', since 1999. He has also designed for a few Bollywood films -Early life:...
said that there was a layering that one can see in the costumes. He said ".. it is the same subtle nuances you can see in the subdued colour palette. Sanjay understands and appreciates my aesthetics and it’s never a struggle for me to explain myself to him or anyone else in the cast and crew. I think 90 per cent of the battle is won when the director agrees to something and then all the actors succumb. Sanjay is so visually sound that people don’t question him." On the look of Ethan Mascarenhas, Mukherjee said that the make up and costume was more organic.In a particular scene Hrithik Roshan wears rose-tinted glasses. Mukherjee said that "the glasses were dark humour, that a guy who has nothing to look forward to is wearing rose-tinted glasses". On a lighter note he added that he wanted his hero to look like Clark Kent and not James bond.
Aishwarya Rai's character Sophia D'Souza goes through a bad marriage. The costume designer said that according to him " ..her internal suffering has manifested itself into an over-dressing syndrome. People who are depressed tend to either over-eat or overdress! Aishwarya wears the strangest of clothes. She has such a morbid life that she almost derives comfort from her clothes. She understands the meaning of dressing up for a bedridden person and it is her colours that bring humour to the patient’s life." The entire look of Aishwarya Rai consisted of thirty-seven long frocks, four dumpy shoes,maxis, aprons with motifs of cutlery, quirky glasses and jewellery, surreal hairdos and red lips.The character, who even makes her water bottle wear a jacket that she has made herself, may be conceived to be a seamstress, who makes dresses for herself, since Rai's costumes are uncommon says Mukherjee. He adds that Sophia uses her red lips as a weapon and not as an accessory. About Sofia's costumes, Bhansali said that " "It's an expression of her grief. She's a woman who has dedicated her entire life to this suffering man. And she wears that red lipstick so that when he faces her, he sees life in all its colour."
Sabyasachi Mukherjee also made a debut in jewellery line with Guzaarish. He had designed the line keeping in mind a multicultural element with a nomadic vibe. The navratan necklace worn by Aishwarya Rai in the climax of the film and other items like raindrop earrings, coral kanpashas, rhodolite balis, butterfly earrings, minakari bird ring and the turquoise and coral ring that she wears in the film have been designed by him. Mukherjee said that "When Sanjay Leela Bansali approached me for 'Guzaarish', I realised that jewellery would play a very important role in shaping up Sophia's character as played by Aishwarya Rai. It would have to be nomadic, quirky and personalised and so I decided to bring on board GAJA in SABYASACHI (his label) because it epitomises that spirit. The whole line has been designed by me keeping in mind a multicultural element with a nomadic vibe." For the collection, Sabyasachi used precious and semi-precious stones, minakari and filigree and had to work with about 60 skilled workers from West Bengal to complete the line. The price range of rings and earrings starts from Rs.40,000 and navratan necklaces are priced at Rs.510,000.
The other characters also were specially treated. Omar Siddique played by Aditya Roy Kapoor was styled like a struggling French musician. " His clothes are layered, he wears a crumpled tuxedo with flappy trousers and because he doesn’t have money for shoes, he wears flip-flops.", said Mukherjee. Suhel Seth, who plays Ethan's doctor, is presented in stiff suits and Shernaz Patel, Ethan's lawyer is given a look of a Gandhian in cotton saris and three-quarter blouses. The maids are in dumpy dresses. The costume designer says that "..the clothes are nearly theatrical and they have a mind of their own. If you remove the characters and hang the clothes, they will tell a story. It’s like Neverland or the reality version of The Magic Faraway Tree! "
Digital Intermediate and VFX Works
The DI and VFX for Guzaarish was done by Prime Focus, a global Visual Entertainment Services group,who had previously collaborated with Sanjay Leela Bhansali on many films including 'Black' and 'Saawariya'.The look of the film was designed to move with the narrative. The first scene shows Sophia D'Souza waking up and taking care of Ethan , for which the shafts of light have been enhanced and colors desaturated but the skin tones maintained. From the skies, to the wall colouring, every part of the movie has been enhanced in some way. The VFX team was throughout in the sets right from when the film was being shot.
The shots which involve visual effects are listed below.
- The enormous grand house that appears throughout the movie was a CGI creation to replace the church that was actually at the shoot location in Goa.
- The much talked about opening shot in which Hrithik Roshan is sitting on a wheelchair and trying to flick a fly off of his nose a lot of referencing was done by the artists to understand the behavioral patterns of a fly, such as the way it moves and to get details of the texture, look and feel, movement, the flutter of the wings etc.The detailing went to the extent of casting the shadow of the fly when it sits on Hrithik's nose.
- In the sequences when Shernaz Patel is talking on the phone standing by the porch and the one when Aishwarya is travelling back home in a boat sky was digitally recreated.
- Hrithik's enacting of a ballet sequence with a transparent ball was originally shot with a real ball. However some needed to have a CG ball when it was impractical to execute the shot with a real one. In between the sequence, Hrithik lies on the ball to take a 360 degree turn. This was originally shot with a green cubical turntable to give Hrithik the necessary support to do the act and the table had to be replaced with the transparent ball.
- The candle tricks in the film is modified to show as if the flame detaches from the wick and keeps floating up in the air, as does Hrithik, who joins the flame back to the wick.
- In one of the flash-back scenes, a young Hrithik goes to cheer up his mother Isabel up and ends up doing magic for the first time. As his mother shakes him lovingly, CG coins start falling from his coat and hair.
- In another scene Hrithik, in a wheelchair, is teaching Omar the trick of rubbing his hands together and generating flying bits of soaked paper. The flying bits of paper were created in CG.
- The Magic Box Trick involving Estella and Ethan has been modified by creating a 3D replica of Monikangana's face and then animating the face with blinking eyes and a smile inside the box.
- Other shots like creating CG rain, creeper and wall cleanups, creating a lamppost with moths and flies and many more hidden VFX were also done by the artists.
Promotion and publicity
The first look of the film was supposed to be released along with Dharma Productions' We Are FamilyWe Are Family (2010 film)
We Are Family is a Hindi film directed by Siddharth Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar. The project features actors Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles, and is an official remake of the 1998 film Stepmom. It released worldwide on September 3, 2010, and a day before in India...
on 3 September. Later the trailer was withdrawn from We Are Family. The official reason given for the postponement of the trailer was the time factor as the producers felt that there was a lot of time before the release of Guzaarish, and hence it was decided Guzaarish's first promotional trailer would feature in theaters a month later with Siddharth Anand’s Anjaana Anjaani
Anjaana Anjaani
Anjaana Anjaani is a Hindi Romantic film directed by Siddharth Anand, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Zayed Khan. The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under his Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt. Ltd banner. The film's music has been composed by Vishal-Shekhar, who have...
. However the real story was that there were some concerns over a sequence showing Aishwarya Rai puffing away frantically at a cigarette in the trailer. While smoking is not entirely prohibited in Indian films, it is certainly seen to be injurious to health, especially since the one smoking on screen is a global icon playing a nurse. Sources close to the film revealed, “Aishwarya is not really smoking in Guzaarish. It’s a very cute, funny and a very beautiful sequence where she is trying to smoke when she doesn’t know how to." Irrespective of the context it had been decided that the release date of the first trailer would be postponed.
Owing to the Ayodhya verdict, the release of Anjaana Anjaani
Anjaana Anjaani
Anjaana Anjaani is a Hindi Romantic film directed by Siddharth Anand, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Zayed Khan. The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under his Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt. Ltd banner. The film's music has been composed by Vishal-Shekhar, who have...
was also postponed to 1 October, which saw the release of another Aishwarya Rai film Enthiran - The Robot. Hence Bhansali decided to have a separate promotional trailer launch on 23 September 2010 at Cinemax, Mumbai. Bhansali acted really tough and rejected as many as 200 designs before settling down for the final one. The first viewing opened to positive responses. The 1 minute, 48 seconds long trailer focused entirely on Hrithik and Aishwarya and was sans dialogue. The trailer was described by the critics as ".. delightful visuals, exhilarating background score, elaborate costumes, and understated but intense emotions - the promo has a signature Bhansali look and feel. It reminds you of Black, it reminds you of Saawariya. Faridoon Shahryar, Content Head Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama is a leading Bollywood entertainment website, owned by hungama.com....
website, opined that the first look was ".. sheer poetry, amalgamation of mesmeric music, metaphorical imagery, a tinge of humour, a larger than life settings, and loads of pathos". Alongside the release of the promotional trailer, posters and downloadable background materials were also spread officially through the internet.
During the "presser", attended by Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Ronnie Screwvala, Aditya Roy Kapur, Monikangana Dutta, Shernaz Patel, other cast and crew of the movie and Bhansali himself, the director said ".. You go through so much in life, so many things about life are unspoken, hope and joy of living, and I thought it was important to make a film which dealt with a topic like this."
A nervous Bhansali, who had met the media after a long time, said he was very afraid of handling a mic after so long. He thanked UTV Chairman Ronnie Screwvala for his unrelenting support. Bhansali made headlines for the day when he said that Aishwarya Rai was ".. his muse, his jaan, and I get terribly excited when I make a film with her because she is very, very special. Some people are timeless and Aishwarya will be there for another 20 years". About the lead actor he said, "I have never enjoyed working with any other actor as much as I have enjoyed working with Hrithik, just for the kind of talent he has, for the kind of person he is". He also revealed the reason why he became the musical director of the movie, "The reason behind doing the music of the film is that I think I understand the characters and understand what they would express musically more than any other music director. Some deep thoughts are my concern, so whatever little music I knew, it was a sort of experiment. But I am happy with what I have done,".
Aishwarya Rai told the press that "This was a very special film for us. We are glad to share this special piece of work with you before we reveal it to the rest of the world." Hrithik Roshan shared with the press that it was ".. true that I have not done anything that has been life altering. This movie has changed my outlook towards work, changed my life. It is so beautiful that 30 years or 40 years from now, I’ll look back and smile I had the opportunity to make this film."
Hrithik Roshan elaborated on his character saying that he was ".. a super character in the film. I have interacted with about 20 such patients who suffer from complete paralysis of the lower half of the body, including both legs which is mostly caused by damage of the spinal cord. They are real life superheroes and I am representing their emotions on screen". Adding that he never had felt such responsibility towards any other character he had played to date, he told the media that the film did not take any stance on mercy-killing. Roshan said that he was able to identify with Ethan Mascarenhas because, when he was going through the Guzaarish script, he had been nursing a knee problem and doctors told him that the knee will never be okay. According to Roshan, the script "..energised me so much that I was not depressed about my knee problem anymore".
Further trailers of the song sequences Udi, Sau Gram Zindagi, Tera Zikr and separate "Making - of" videos of each songs were released subsequently through various online and television broadcasting outlets. Frequent interviews and pressers were conducted as a part of the promotional strategy.
Controversies
A controversy regarding the film's plot originated when veteran Indian writer Dayanand Rajan claimed that the plot of the film was plagiarised from his unpublished novel Summer Snow. "Guzaarish has many similarities with my novel. It's shocking that the main plot, the love story, the hero being wheelchair-bound due to an accident and even the mercy killing are the same as in Sanjay's movie. I had shown my novel to some people in the industry but I have no idea who leaked it to the writer of the film," says Dayanand. The other similarities include a serious accident, in both the scripts, which require the protagonist to begin using a wheelchair and introduce him to the woman taking care of him — it is the nurse who falls in love with Hrithik, while in the novel it is his wife who looks after him. Both scripts having key flashback scenes and the woman supporting mercy killing for the hero. Raajan has dashed off a legal notice to the producers, UTV and SLB asking them for an explanation on how their film has so many similarities with his novel, however Bhansali's office refused to accept the notice.In late-October, a public interest litigation was filed by Aditya Dewan, a lawyer, in Delhi High Court
Delhi High Court
The High Court of Delhi was established on 31 October 1966. The High Court of Delhi was established with four judges. They were Chief Justice K. S. Hegde, Justice I. D. Dua, Justice H. R. Khanna and Justice S. K. Kapur.-History:...
alleging that Guzaarish promotes euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
or mercy killing, which is illegal, and portrays the legal profession in bad light. He demanded a disclaimer from the producers saying mercy killing is not legal in India and that there is a debate on whether such deaths can be allowed. But the case was dismissed by the court saying the facts averred were inadequate for the court to appreciate and that it cannot be entertained in its present form. "PILs are loose too, for people with hidden agendas. The film is a love story of a man and his life and, yes, euthanasia is part of the narrative," said Screwala, the producer of the film.
Another controversy regarding the movie started brewing when the first look of the move was released which showed the lead actor Aishwarya Rai smoking in a car. National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) India, the body working for tobacco eradication, wrote to actor Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan expressing concern over use of her images smoking a cigarette in the banners of film Guzaarish displayed all over Mumbai. The organization's spokes-person said in a press release that it would issue a legal notice to the actor under the provisions of the anti-tobacco legislation for the alleged advertisement of tobacco smoking in the public. Later, the Raj Thackeray-led MNS also objected to the " 'insidious' effects of a cigarette smoking Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plastered across posters on BEST buses in the city."
Director Ram Gopal Verma in the social networking site Twitter, had posted "Just cannot stand the close up of Hritik's teeth being brushed by Aishwarya, anyday will watch Dhoom 2
Dhoom 2
Dhoom 2: Back In Action is a 2006 Bollywood action film directed by Sanjay Gadhvi and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra at an estimated budget of Rs 350 million. It is the second film in the Dhoom series. Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra star in the film as buddy cops Jai Dixit and Ali,...
ten times again, but then I am the maker of Aag " . Bhansali who was more annoyed and amused than angry commented, "I really have no time or patience with this sort of behavior. Ramu has always met me with much enthusiasm about my films in the past. So if he had an opinion on Guzaarish he should have shared it with me instead of putting it on Twitter. And by the way, doesn't he have a release coming up (Rakta Charitra)? He should just focus on that instead of worrying about the content of other people's films." Later Verma apologised to Bhansali saying " I'm sorry if I offended you. I just have this habit of constantly saying something funny on Twitter about every happening out there. Most of the comments are on me. I make more comments on my own films than anybody else's. I'll take back my remark publicly asap. Sorry again." SLB immediately chose to forgive and forgot and move on." He also raised several eyebrows when he added that "If anything so enamoured of hatred can be called a peace offering, then yes I'm releasing Rakht Charitra 2 on the same day (November 19) as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish." Later Raktha Charithra 2 's release date was postponed to 3 December owing to various factors.
After the film release in November, Akhil Rajendra Dwivedi, a script writer, sued Bhansali for Rs. 2 crore alleging that the director used his script without informing him. Dwivedi claimed that he had registered his script, very similar to that of Guzaarish, in 2005 and had even met Bhansali in 2008. He alleged that the director had loved the script and said that he would get back to Dwivedi in a few weeks time. Dwivedi claimed that Bhansali never reverted and was unreachable for Dwivedi.
Salman Khan
Salman Khan
Salman Khan is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , for which he won a Filmfare Award for...
, a close associate of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, in an award ceremony Super Idols, for felicitating specially-abled people, by television channel IBN-7
IBN-7
IBN-7 is a Hindi news television channel owned by Network 18 Ltd based in Mumbai.IBN-7 - formerly Channel 7 was acquired from Jagran TV, owned by the Dainik Jagran group of companies, in 2006 and rebranded IBN-7. IBN-7 is the Hindi news channel of IBN18 Broadcast Limited, which is part of Network...
, took potshots at Guzaarish, hinting at its poor box office collection and said that "Recently a movie released, Guzaarish, oops sorry! and I made a movie on HIV/ AIDS, not even a dog came to watch the movie." Later in the same event, he said to one of the winner of the awards, "I will give you the number of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, you write it down, he has made Black, Khamoshi, made many pictures and made heaps of money but may be it won't come out, but it should come out." The comments came as a shocker to many, since Salman was one of Bhansali's favorites and the lead actor in his first movie Khamoshi
Khamoshi
Khamoshi is a 1969 black-and-white Hindi film directed by Asit Sen, starring Rajesh Khanna and Waheeda Rehman. It especially remembered for its songs with music by Hemant Kumar and some haunting lyrics by Gulzar, who also wrote films equally effective dialogues...
and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
The music was composed by Ismail Darbar with lyrics by Mehboob. It received nine Filmfare Awards nominations in the music and singing categories and produced some winners as well.-Track listing:-2000 National Awards:* Best Music Direction - Ismail Darbar...
. Bhansali reacted saying that “If such an old and trusted friend can be so insensitive I don’t want anything to do with the entertainment industry”.But the lead actor Hrithik Roshan was irked enough and said "It’s not heroic to laugh or make fun of a filmmaker just because his box office collections are not up there with yours. Guzaarish is a super success in its own way.because I know deep inside he only has love for me and this must have been just a momentary lapse of judgement. Will expect a big hug the next time I meet him "
The film's storyline is also similar to 2004 Spanish film The Sea Inside, which was based on a true story of a sailor Ramón Sampedro
Ramón Sampedro
Ramón Sampedro was a ship fisherman from Galicia, Spain, who became a quadriplegic in a diving accident at the age of 25 and fought for his right to an assisted suicide for the next 29 years....
who becomes a quadriplegic following an accident.
Special screening
Sanjay Leela Bhansali , who had famously given a lavish premier of his earlier film Saawariya, decided to do away with a similar event for Guzaarish. Though the movie had released on 16 November in Dubai, it was slated to release in India on the 19th of the same month. Bhansali purposely avoided a gala screening of Guzaarish apparently due to the bitter experience he had in a similar event of Saawariya. Sources reported that "..some of the VVIP invitees who told him that he had made another masterpiece (SaawariyaSaawariya
Saawariya is a 2007 Hindi film based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's short story "White Nights".Co-produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment and released on 9 November 2007, it is the first Bollywood movie to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio, shortly preceding Walt Disney Pictures'...
) were busy sending out bulk messages against the film during the premiere. Since the Saawariya premiere took place two nights (on Wednesday rather than Thursday) before its public release the damage done was irreparable. Sanjay decided there and then to never have a premiere of any of his films."
The director had the first screening of Guzaarish for the cast members and their families on Monday night. Though the lead actor Hrithik Roshan along with wife Sussanne Khan attended the special screening, Aishwarya Rai and her family were conspicuous by their absence. After the screening, the director allowed himself to be convinced to show the film to a few chosen ones.
Hence he specially handpicked 30 invitees include the Bachchan family, leading man Hrithik's parents Pinky and Rakesh Roshan
Rakesh Roshan
Rakesh Roshan Rakesh Roshan Rakesh Roshan (Hindi: राकेश रोशन (born Rakesh Roshan Lal Nagrath on 6 September 1949 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) is a producer, director and former actor in Bollywood films who was born in a Punjabi Hindu Kayastha family...
, Hrithik Roshan's Father- in-law Sanjay Khan
Sanjay Khan
-Career:Khan made his debut in the 1964 Chetan Anand film "Haqeeqat" followed by the Rajshri film Dosti. In the 1960s and 1970s Khan starred in the movies Dus Lakh, Ek Phool Do Mali and Intaqam. He also acted opposite his brother Feroz in three films Upaasna , Mela and Nagin...
, Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...
and Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
, Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress and a former model. She appears mostly in Hindi as well as Tamil and Kannada language films. Born to Badminton player Prakash Padukone, she chose to become an actress and not pursue a career in sports.Padukone made her acting debut in the 2006 Kannada film...
, Rohan Sippy
Rohan Sippy
Rohan Sippy is an Indian film director and producer who has directed three films: Kuch Naa Kaho , Bluffmaster! and Dum Maaro Dum . He is the son of Ramesh Sippy, the director of the Hindi blockbuster film Sholay, and grandson of producer G. P. Sippy...
, Karan Johar
Karan Johar
Karan Johar is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter and Television host. He is the son of Hiroo Johar and Yash Johar. He is one of the most successful filmmakers in Bollywood. He is most known for directing and producing some of Bollywood's highest grossing films in India and the...
, Ashutosh Gowariker
Ashutosh Gowariker
Ashutosh Gowariker is an Indian film director, actor, writer and producer. He is known for directing the films Lagaan , Swades , Jodhaa Akbar , What's Your Raashee and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey...
, Rajkumar Hirani
Rajkumar Hirani
Rajkumar Hirani is a National Award and Filmfare Award winning Indian director, screenwriter and film editor of Hindi films, best known for the films Munna Bhai MBBS , Lage Raho Munnabhai and 3 Idiots , considered the highest-grossing Hindi film by distributor-share.-Early life and...
, Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films and 3 Idiots.-Early life:Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir,...
, Goldie Bhel singer Kunal Ganjawala
Kunal Ganjawala
Kunal Ganjawala is popularly known as Bollywood playback singer. But he also did a very well contribution to Kanada film industry as well. Kunal began his career by singing jingles. He came to limelight with the song 'Bheege Honth Tere' form film Murder in 2004. It was his first biggest hit...
, film Maker Akbar Khan, fashion designers Sandip Khosla, Manish Malhothra, and Shahid Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films. He is also a trained dancer.Starting off his career by working in music videos and advertisements, Kapoor made his Bollywood debut as a background dancer in Subhash Ghai's Taal . Four years later, he made his acting debut in Ishq...
who was currently shooting for Pankaj Kapoor
Pankaj Kapoor
Pankaj Kapur is an Indian theatre, television and film actor from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He has appeared in several television serials and films. His most acclaimed film roles to date have been that of Dr...
's Mausam. Bhansali told the media, "What is the sense of inviting people you know are not going to have anything good to say about your film? I am totally against a premiere. At the same time there are people I want to share the film with." According to Bhansali he already had got the "big thumbs-up" he needed, "For me, it was more than enough that my mother liked the film. All other opinions, I'll take with a pinch of salt."
Later, Aishwarya Rai also requested for a special screening of the movie for her family. According to Rai, this was a special gift to her father, who was celebrating his birthday on the same date. It was also attended by directors Subhash Ghai
Subhash Ghai
Subhash Ghai is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. His most notable films include Kalicharan ,Karz , Hero , Meri Jung , Karma ,Ram Lakhan ,Saudagar , Khalnayak , Pardes and Taal...
, David Dhawan
David Dhawan
David Dhawan is an Indian film director. He has studied at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.-Career:Dhawan started off as an editor and then took the plunge into directing...
, actors Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...
and Sonam Kapoor
Sonam Kapoor
Sonam Kapoor is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood films. Kapoor made her acting debut in the unsuccessful film Saawariya opposite newcomer Ranbir Kapoor, which earned her a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. She earned her first commercial success in I Hate Luv...
who was then shooting for the movies Players and Mausam
Mausam (2011 film)
Mausam is a Bollywood romance film directed and written by first time director Pankaj Kapoor under the Vistaar Religare Film Fund banner. The film stars Shahid Kapoor opposite Sonam Kapoor in the lead roles....
."
Critical response
Guzaarish opened to most generally positive reviews. FilmfareFilmfare
Filmfare is an English-language tabloid-sized magazine about Indian cinema. Published by The Times Group, India's largest media services conglomerate, in Mumbai , it highlights the doings of the Bollywood film scene...
gave the movie a four star rating stating "Guzaarish is unabashedly Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In a film where life itself is the villain everything is larger than life, no surprise there. The house is grand, the characters even more so, the laughter is magnificent, the pain operatic and the treatment of all of the above is colossal in a deafening, attention seeking way that leaves no room for subtext or imagination." Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
trashed the movie for its over the top performances and stated that the lead actor Hrithik Roshan is the only saving grace of the movie where "everything else, like Aishwarya Rai’s make-up, seems fake and loud, and puts you off. The emotions, the set design, the dialogues, Hrithik Roshan’s beard are all out of this world, residing in some alien planet that only Bhansali inhabits." Rajeev Masand
Rajeev Masand
Rajeev Masand is an Indian film critic and entertainment reporter for CNN-IBN. Masand started his career as an entertainment correspondent at the young age of 16...
of CNN IBN
CNN IBN
Cable News Network-Indian Broadcasting Network is an English-language Indian television news channel. The network is a partnership between Global Broadcast News and Turner International in India . Rajdeep Sardesai is the Editor-in-Chief of the network...
gave it a two star rating explaining "Guzaarish may be less esoteric than his last film, Saawariya, but it's still an unsatisfying effort because the filmmaker continues to invest more in the appearance of every frame than in the emotional truth of his characters. Its various subplots inspired from different films, Guzaarish is a mash-up of many interesting ideas." He stated that the magic is missing in this one.
Anupama Chopra
Anupama Chopra
Anupama Chopra is a noted author, journalist and film critic. She has written several books on Indian cinema and has been a movie reviewer with NDTV and India Today.-Career:...
of NDTV
NDTV
NDTV is an Indian commercial broadcasting television network founded in 1988. It was founded by Prannoy Roy, an eminent journalist and current chairman and director of NDTV Group. NDTV currently has more than 1,000 employees producing news from over twenty locations in India...
gave a three star rating saying "This fantasy would be effective if the writing was more organic and the emotions felt more authentic but Bhansali never gives us a chance to invest in these people." She noted that the movie is a mix of as much clumsiness as that strong performances and scenes which moves the audience. One of earliest reviews was published in Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama is a leading Bollywood entertainment website, owned by hungama.com....
by critic Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh is an Indian film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst. He is also a former producer and screenwriter. He is the son of film director and producer, B.K. Adarsh....
who opined, "Bhansali has worked himself to the grind and his presence is felt in every frame of Guzaarish and that the movie is one of the most profound, insightful and enriching dramas of the year." The reviewer gave a four star rating to the movie praising the performances by the lead actors and the cinematography of the movie. On the lead actors Adarsh said "In fact, the two actors have gone through a drastic appearance change and both pressurize you to believe that they are indeed Ethan and Sofia." The MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
review received a three and a half rating from the users and praised the movie for the performances by the cast, the cinematography and its subtle approach to a sensitive issue. However the review did criticize the movie for the lack of a forceful script, and contrived scenes.
The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
reviewer Sudhish Kamath gave a negative review to the movie and heaped praises on the lead actor Hrithik Roshan saying that "Hrithik Roshan gives one of the best performances of his career as a man trapped in a wheelchair/bad film, desperately craving for freedom.." As a bottomline he said that Guzaarish is "Highly pretentious, boring film with leftover craving-for-your-sympathy melodrama from Black and unused sets from Saawariya". The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
, which gave a four and a half rating, mentioned that "Guzaarish is an unusual film in many respects". Sudeep Chatterjee, the cinematographer was praised for the "collage of riveting paintings on screen which showcased both the interior of the mansion and outsides of Goa like an art gallery". The review noted that "A film like Guzaarish isn't made for the box office. It's made for the gratification of the senses. And that it does, in ample measure." India Today
India Today
India Today is an Indian weekly news magazine published by Living Media India Limited, in publication since 1975 based in Mumbai. India Today is also the name of its sister-publication in Hindi...
reviewer Kaveree Bamzai gave a two star rating said that the movie is "spectacularly silly, pretentiously ponderous. The only thing worth the price of the ticket is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. This is one woman who is finally coming into her own. Whether it is her dancing to the Udi song or moaning in simulated ecstasy, she is lively, animated and pretty much stripped of the artifice we have associated her with forever."
The Pioneer gave six out of ten rating and noted "all fears are dispelled in the first 10 minutes of this finely made and delicately executed two-hour love emotion. With a taste for elegant grandeur and a keen eye on chic cinematography, Bhansali has lent Guzaarish a picture-perfect look which we hardly get to see in domestic cinema. Not to forget the theme of Quadriplegia which, too, has been dealt with sensitivity." Zee News
Zee News
Zee News, the news and current affairs channel, is the oldest channel of Zee News Ltd, founded in 1992. It was the first 24-hour Hindi current affairs and news channel in India. In spite of being the only pay channel in its genre, it maintains its position among the top three Hindi news channels in...
gave the movie a positive review saying that "Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish is not a film but moving poetry that touches you in manifold ways. Guzaarish is the most extraordinary love story of Bollywood which unravels the patient-nurse bond through Ethan and Sophie. Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan light up the silver screen with their sizzling on-screen chemistry, which takes Guzaarish to an altogether different level." Mumbai Mirror
Mumbai Mirror
Mumbai Mirror is a largest compact newspaper in the city of Mumbai with a daily circulation of over 600,000 copies. Its first issue was published on May 30, 2005 by the Times Group, the publishers of The Times of India newspaper....
gave a 5 star rating to the movie and noted that "the beauty of the film lies in its ability to throw light on a morbid subject, compelling the viewer to fall back in love with life." The review added that the audience would feel "a Hrithik hangover that stays with you long after you have left the theatre."
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
reviewer Mayank Shankar gave it a three star rating and noted "this is a film where aesthetics overpower everything else. Being mesmerized by the beauty of the big screen isn’t always such a great thing. You get overwhelmed at first; leave slightly under-whelmed, eventually." Deccan Herald
Deccan Herald
The Deccan Herald is a leading English-language daily newspaper distributed in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is published by the Printers Private Limited and has a number of editions in Bangalore, Hubli, Mysore, Mangalore and Gulbarga....
noted that only select - audience may find the movie appealing saying that "the performances stand out. Hrithik Roshan does brings some tears to your eyes and even Aishwarya comes up with an original act. But, as said, the blacks and greys of Guzaarish might appeal only to Bhansali viewers."
Deccan Chronicle gave a four star rating noting that Hrithik Roshan is a saving grace of the movie. The review said: "Guzaarish is an affected film with a contrived plot and a severe Jesus complex. It is obsessed with how it looks, walks and poses. But in this self-conscious world lives and breathes a class act — Hrithik Roshan. He creates an emotional core so powerful and compelling that the film’s flaws pale in his brilliance." The South African news paper The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (South Africa)
The Sunday Times is a popular South African Sunday newspaper. It has an audited circulation of 504,000 and a weekly readership of 3.2 million, making it the largest weekly newspaper in South Africa. Recently it was involved in exposing a corruption scandal involving the South African government's...
gave a nine star rating and said "Guzaarish is a movie about hope, magic and life. Bhansali has done it as a tribute to the nightingale Lata Mangeshkar who, he claims, has been his biggest inspiration. There are times that the pace may work in its favour, but its overall message and spirit will triumph, and it will be a memory that will linger on forever." Khaleej Times
Khaleej Times
The Khaleej Times is a daily English language newspaper published in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Traditionally perceived as the second most popular newspaper in the UAE, Khaleej Times has struggled to keep up its circulation and entered 2011 with a print run of just under 40,000 copies...
said "this wonderful work of art, nuanced and magical in its portrayal, is about dying. But Ethan, as played by Hrithik Roshan in Guzaarish, is so bemused by adversity that he can actually look at his own suffering with dispassionate humour."
The Telegraph
The Telegraph (Kolkata)
The Telegraph is an Indian daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Kolkata since 1982. It is published by the ABP Group and the newspaper vies with the Times of India for the position of having the widest widest circulation of any newspaper in Eastern India.According to the Audit...
cited that "Guzaarish is a Hrithik Roshan film, which salvages, to some extent, the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. In motion, his on-stage moves are real magic. In suspended animation, he is able to channelise every emotion in the book through his eyes." However the Rediff review by noted critic Raja Sen criticized Bhansali for his "tireless attempt to once again bring old-world theatricality - in all its surreal opulence - to our silver screen" and gave two and a half rating. He added that "the Sanjay Leela Bhansali circus whirrs on, but to what avail? It's like an old Disney musical - just without the wit. Or, ironically given this film's subject, the magic. Here is a filmmaker who needs a playwright - and, in equal measure, an occasional slap on the wrist." Sify
Sify
Sify Technologies Limited is an Internet service provider established in 1998, based in Chennai, India.-Company profile:...
movies, which also gave a two and a half rating, said that Bhansali lives in a universe of his own cut of from the rest of the world. The review sharply criticizing Bhansali's style of movie making noted that "It’s a dry subject anyway, but co-producer-writer-director Bhansali makes sure it gets super-gloomy." Daily News and Analysis reviewer gave a three star rating and noted "Guzaarish is one of those films that are not meant to entertain so much as to shake you by the intensity of their content and the force of their performances. Bhansali deserves as much credit for the splendid direction as Sudeep Chatterjee for the breathtaking cinematography. The music, again by Bhansali, and the artistic visual imagery that the film evokes act as lifesavers when the screenplay gets a bit monotonous."
Komal Nahta
Komal Nahta
Komal Nahta is the editor and publisher of "Film Information", India's largest film trade journal. He is also an anchor of the Trade show ETC Bollywood Business on the Bollywood TV channels ETC and Zee Cinema. Well known for his harsh criticism of Movies....
, a freelance film critic, gave the movie one and a half stars stating that though the movie has power-packed performances, it will be rejected by masses and in towns and villages, owing to its class-appealing subject. He said "It has been made exceptionally beautifully and boasts of extraordinary performance by the main protagonist, Ethan. Not only is the drama soul-stirring and emotionally moving but the film is also visually extraordinary." Subhash K Jha also echoed similar thoughts as that of Adarsh, saying that "No film in living memory has brought out the sheer blessing of being alive with such spirit and glory". According to him the music score of the movie "communicate the rich tapestried emotions of lives that are determined to smile through an extraordinary tragedy". Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
, veteran film actor, shared his views on Guzaarish in his blog and said that he was "dumbfounded and almost speechless" by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who "raises the bar by leaps and it becomes very difficult to keep up with him ". He specifically appreciated the performance of Aditya Roy Kapur , who according to him had been the "most fascinating watch."
Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
gave a 3 star rating in which Australian critic and columnist Simon Foster described it as a "A melodrama that never says in two words what it can say in ten, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish balances its blubbery sentimentality with some beautifully-realised images to heart-warming and generally likable effect.
Satish Kaushik
Satish Kaushik
Satish Kaushik is an Indian film director and actor in Hindi films and theatre.As a film actor his most remembered for his role as 'Calendar' in Mr. India, and as 'Chanu Ahmed' in Sarah Gavron's English film Brick Lane...
stated "Aishwarya is unbeatable and looks beautiful on screen. And here was a tremendous performance that came straight from the heart. She moved on screen like a swan on lake. Guzaarish is sheer poetry and I just loved Aishwarya's performance in it. It was brave and radical on Hrithik's part to accept this role. Aishwarya and Hrithik's Last scene was the most heartbreaking. Hats off to him for putting his heart, mind and soul into creating Ethan."
Soundtrack
The soundtrack and the musical score have been composed by Sanjay Leela BhansaliSanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian film director. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India...
himself, who makes his debut as a music director with this film. The lyrics are penned by A.M. Turaz, Vibhu Puri, and the late Jagdish Joshi.
The official music launch of Guzaarish took place on 22 October 2010. The event was hosted by Aditya Roy Kapur. Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
, who had received his Best Actor National Award a second time for Bhansali's movie Black, was the guest of honour for the event, which also saw Bhansali's mother, Leela Bhansali gracing the occasion. Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is an Indian actor and producer. He is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai....
also attended the event to extend his support for his wife. Actors Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Shernaz Patel, Suhel Seth, Monikangana Dutta, UTV chairman Ronnie Screwvala and Bhansali himself along with the entire music and background team were present in the music launch.
When the album was released, Bhansali told the audience that he could never have got a better person to release his first album as a music director than Amitabh Bachchan. Overcome with emotions he touched Bachchan's feet to get his blessings to which Bachchan reciprocated warmly and said “I am glad that Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made such a wonderful film with this issue which no one has seen to date”. Bhansali said, "I learnt music by listening to it over and over again. My association with R. D. Burman saab in Vidhu's (Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films and 3 Idiots.-Early life:Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir,...
) film and music composers such as Ismail Darbar
Ismail Darbar
Ismail Darbar is an Indian composer and violinist, a popular name in Bollywood.-Career:Ismail Darbar is from Surat, Gujarat. He worked for several years as a session violinist for leading music directors Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji Anandji, Bappi Lahiri, Rajesh Roshan, Anand-Milind,...
and Monty (Sharma), helped me to learn a lot." He reiterated the reason why he scored the music for the movie but ruled out the rumor that he would be composing the music for all his forthcoming films.
Bhansali said in an interview after the music launch that, though he had no favorites, the song "Sau Gram Zindagi" was close to his heart. Spreading light on how Guzaarish occurred, he told that he had conceived the lines Bas Itni Si Guzaarish Hain, Yeh Jo Baarish Hain while shooting for the film Black in 2003.
Singers Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian music composer and singer. He is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that composes for Indian films and a playback singer.-Early life:...
, KK, Kunal Ganjawala
Kunal Ganjawala
Kunal Ganjawala is popularly known as Bollywood playback singer. But he also did a very well contribution to Kanada film industry as well. Kunal began his career by singing jingles. He came to limelight with the song 'Bheege Honth Tere' form film Murder in 2004. It was his first biggest hit...
, Vibhavari Joshi, and Shail Hada
Shail Hada
Shail Sturm is an Indian playback singer born and brought up in Rajasthan.-Early life:Shail has got his initial training in Hindustani Classical music from renowned vocalist and his father Shri Jaswant Singh Hada.He studies in St. Pauls Mala road, Kota. Later on, he went on do his M.A...
, who had lent their voices to the film's soundtrack were also present at the event. The singers also gave a stage performance of each of their songs in the album. Bhansali along with the singers sang the song "Sau Gram Zindagi". He said that he dedicated the song to his mother since the lyrics represented her life in all ways. The highlight of the gala night was when the lead actors along with Bhansali sang the song, "Udi" to which the entire audience grooved happily.
During the music launch, Hrithik Roshan was lavish in his praises of Bhansali, saying that the director ".. is just pure genius, and that's exactly what he was as a music director as well. For most people Guzaarish is just another film, but its just like nature, you cannot possibly put into words this beautiful journey. It's beyond judgment for me." He also thanked Bhansali for making them a part of Guzaarish. Aishwarya Rai supported her director-friend saying "Sanjay is such a genius, anything he does he is the best at it. I'm just blessed and very grateful that I have gotten a chance to work with this genius three times in my career."
When queried on why he had not included his Devdas
Devdas
Devdas is a Bengali Romance novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Essentially, it is a retelling of the Krishna, Radha, and Meera myths, the relationships between its three protagonists - Devdas, Parvati, and Chandramukhi - paralleling the Hindu deities'.-Plot summary:Devdas is a young man from...
discovery Shreya Ghoshal in his first album, Sanjay Bhansali said “My songs have all come from the heart, nothing is calculated. Shreya has reached a pinnacle and her not singing in my film where no song needed her will not make a difference. I was only the zariya for her destiny,” He also said that "Shail Hada, my music assistant who had sung the title-song of Saawariya, was the best thing because through his seasoned vocals I could know exactly how the song would sound,”.
Vibhavari Apte-Joshi, who had sung the song Saiba, which appears during the climax of the movie, had been well received by the audience. The leading actress Aishwarya herself told her during the music launch function that she was happy to get Vibhavari’s beautiful voice for her in the film. Joshi responded saying “It is actually my pleasure that I could sing for the beautiful actress.” She was spotted by Bhansali while she was performing in a music reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - Aajcha Awaaj aired on a Marathi channel. About the song, Joshi said that, "It is a Konkani - Hindi song. The pronunciation was not that difficult for me as I had sung old Konkani songs in many of my shows. However, the experience of learning the song from Bhansali sir was amazing. He emphasised on expression and asked me to think of the character’s mindset as it had to suit the situation.”
Track listing
Big Star Entertainment Awards
- Nominations
- BIG Star Most Entertaining Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- BIG Star Most Entertaining Film Actor - Male - Hrithik Roshan
- BIG Star Most Entertaining Film Actor - Female - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Star Screen Awards
- Won
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female) - Shernaaz Patel
- Best Cinematography - Sudeep Chatterjee
- Nominations
- Best Actor Male - Hrithik Roshan
- Best Actor Female - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Choreography - Longinus Fernandes (Udi)
Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards
- Won
- Cinematic Excellence (Director) - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Cinematic Excellence (Male) - Hrithik Roshan
- Cinematic Excellence (Female)- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Cinematography - Sudeep Chatterji
- Best Special Effects - Prime Focus
- Nominations
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role - Female - Shernaaz Patel
- Best Dialogue - Bhavani Iyer & Vibhu Puri
Zee Cine Awards
- Won
- Jury Award For Best Actor (Male) - Hrithik Roshan
- Jury Award For Best Actor (Female) - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Art Direction - Rajneesh Basu
- Nominations
- Best Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Best Playback Singer (Female) - Sunidhi Chauhan (Udi)
Filmfare Awards
- Nominations
- Best Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Hrithik Roshan
- Best Actress in a Leading Role - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Playback Singer (Female) - Sunidhi Chauhan (Udi)
Stardust Awards
- Best Actor (Drama) - Hrithik Roshan
- Best Actress (Drama) - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- New Musical Sensation - Male - Shail Hada - Tera Zikhr Hai
- New Musical Sensation - Female - Vibhavari Joshi (Saiba)
- Nominations
- Best Film Of The Year - Drama - Guzaarish
- Best Director - Drama - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Dream Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Star Of The Year - Male - Hrithik Roshan
- Star Of The Year - Female - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Actress In An Ensemble Cast - Shernaaz Patel
- Superstar Of Tomorrow - Male - Aditya Roy Kapur
- Standout Performance By A Music Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- New Musical Sensation - Female - Harshdeep Kaur (Chand Ki Katori)
Global Indian Film & Television Awards
- Best Actor In A Lead Role Jury Award - Male -Hrithik Roshan
- Nominations
- Best Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Best Actor In A Lead Role - Male - Hrithik Roshan
- Best Actor In A Lead Role - Female - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Actor In A Supporting Role - Female - Shernaz Patel
- Best Playback Singer - Female - Sunidhi Chauhan (Udi)
- Best Choreographer - Longines Fernandes (Udi)
- Best Background Score - Tubby
- Best Re- Recording - Anuj Mathur
- Best Cinematography - Sudeep Chatterjee
- Best Special Effects - Prime Focus - Merzin Tavaria, Reupal D. Rawal, Rohan Desai
- Best Costume Designing - Sabyasachi Mukherjee
International Indian Film Academy Awards
- Best Cinematographer - Sudeep Chatterjee
- Nominations
- Best Direction - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Best Performance in a Leading Role Male - Hrithik Roshan
- Best Performance in a Leading Role Female - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role Male - Shernaz Patel
- Best Screenplay - Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhavani Iyer
BIG Star Indian Music Awards
- Best Visualized Song Track (Female) - Udi - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan & Sunidhi Chauhan
Other Acclaims
- The screenplay of the film Guzaarish was invited by the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Oscars) to be part of its permanent script collection.