From Black to Devdas to Bajirao Mastani, here is the ranking of the best to worst Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies on IMDb.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is one of the most critically and commercially successful directors in Indian cinema, with movies ranging from passionate love stories to historical narratives. He is praised for the grandness of the visual spectacle in his movies, whose stories often push societal boundaries.
Bhansali began his career in Bollywood as the assistant director on the sets of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s classic Parinda (1989). His next mega project was 1942: A Love Story (1994), considered widely as a landmark film in Indian cinema. While Chopra, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam, and Kamna Chandra wrote the film’s story, Bhansali co-wrote its screenplay with Chopra and Subramaniam.
Bhansali made his directorial debut with Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and has since directed nine more films. A multi-talented personality whose films are remembered for their soulful music, he donned the hat of a composer for the first time on the big screen for his film Guzaarish (2010). He has composed the music of all his films since. He also produced or wrote for films he didn’t helm, chief of which include My Friend Pinto (2011), Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012), and Mary Kom (2014).
Nearly all of his works are critically acclaimed. Audiences are drawn to his opulent style and emotionally charged storylines. His signature aesthetic is undeniable as Bhansali paints his stories on a canvas rich with colour, texture, and detail. Apart from music, he is known for paying attention to costumes and set design which transports viewers into the heart of the narratives he presents on the screen.
He has won seven National Film Awards, India’s most prestigious awards in cinema, apart from 12 Filmfare Awards and one BAFTA nomination.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next movie is titled Love & War. It will star Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles. The film is expected to release in 2025. Until then, his fans can watch Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The Netflix period drama created by Bhansali is about the lives of tawaifs (highly skilled courtesans who sang, danced, and wrote poetry) in pre-independence India. It is set for premiere in 2024.
[Hero and featured image credit: IMDb]
The best to worst Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies on IMDb
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1 /10
IMDb rating: 8.1
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Ayesha Kapur, Shernaz Patel, Dhritiman Chatterjee
Synopsis: Michelle (Mukerji), a deaf-and-blind woman, is trained from a young age by Debraj (Bachchan), an elderly alcoholic teacher. As years pass by, Michelle becomes an educated and empowered woman but is sad because Debraj has forgotten her due to Alzheimer’s disease.
Awards: Won 3 National Awards including Best Feature Film in Hindi; 11 Filmfare Awards including Best Film
More about the film: Black was reportedly inspired by the life of Helen Keller and the 1962 American biographical film The Miracle Worker, which was about Keller’s blind tutor Anne Sullivan.
Of the three National Awards it won, one was the Best Actor win for Amitabh Bachchan for his performance. It was the second of Bachchan’s four National Awards for Best Actor in his career. Its 11 wins at the 51st Filmfare Awards in 2006 was also a record at the time as it tied Black with Bhansali’s Devdas as the film with the most wins in Filmfare history. The record was later broken by Gully Boy in 2019.
Image: Courtesy of IMDb
IMDb rating: 7.8
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh, Ajay Devgn
Synopsis: Gangubai (Bhatt) tells the story of her rise from an innocent girl sold to a brothel to become a powerful female mafia don and madame in Bombay of the 1950s.
Awards: Won 5 National Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards.
More about the film: The film is based on the real-life Gangubai Kothewali, one of the several infamous figures documented in the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai by renowned crime journalist S. Hussain Zaidi.
Two of its National Awards were for Bhansali, Best Editing and Best Screenplay (Adapted), the latter of which he shared with the film’s co-writer Utkarshini Vashishtha.
3 /10
IMDb rating: 7.5
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff
Synopsis: Devdas Mukherjee (Khan) is the son of a zamindar (landlord) and is deeply in love with Paro (Rai), who comes from a lower social status. When Paro is insulted by Devdas’ arrogant family, she sacrifices her love for him and marries an older but wealthy man. Unable to forget her, Devdas’ life spirals out of control and he becomes an alcoholic.
Awards: Won 5 National Awards, including Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, and 11 Filmfare Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.
More about the film: Devdas is based on the 1917 Bengali novel of the same name by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Bhansali’s film was the second Hindi adaptation of the novel, after Bimal Roy’s 1955 classic starring Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen and Vyjayanthimala as Devdas, Parvati and Chandramukhi, respectively.
At the time of its release, it was the most expensive Indian film ever made with a budget of around INR 50 crore (USD 10.3 million at the time). It was praised universally for its music, lavish costumes, grandeur of the set and cinematography. The film was also nominated in Best Film Not in the English Language category at the 56th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).
Image: Courtesy of © 2002 Eros Int./IMDb
IMDb rating: 7.5
Cast: Nana Patekar, Manisha Koirala, Seema Biswas, Salman Khan
Synopsis: Joseph (Patekar) and Flavy (Biswas) are a deaf and mute couple. They are overjoyed when they realise that their daughter, Annie, can hear and speak. As years pass by, a grown-up Annie (Koirala) falls in love with music and Raj (Khan). When her relationship with Raj is opposed by her parents and a personal tragedy happens, it is music which plays a role in bringing them all together.
Awards: Won 5 Filmfare Awards.
More about the film: Khamoshi the Musical marked the debut of Sanjay Leela Bhansali as director.
Image: Courtesy of IMDb
5 /10
IMDb rating: 7.4
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai
Synopsis: Ethan (Roshan) is a quadriplegic whose career as a magician was cut short due to an accident. He is taken care of by Sofia (Rai), who loves him dearly. Ethan, however, makes an appeal to the court for mercy killing, shocking everyone who cares for him.
More about the film: The film received several accolades on the Indian awards circuit. It was also nominated for four Filmfare Awards, but could not win any.
IMDb rating: 7.4
Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn
Synopsis: Nandini (Rai) is a young woman who is in love with the carefree Sameer (Khan). But her family marries her off to a lawyer named Vanraj (Devgn), who loves her deeply. When Vanraj learns that her heart still beats for Sameer, he decides to reunite them. But as they try to locate Sameer, Nandini learns the true meaning of love.
Awards: Won four National Awards and seven Filmfare Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.
More about the film: Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 1999. According to Box Office India, it earned over INR 51 crores (USD 11.8 million at the time).
The film is hailed to date for its music. Six of its 17 Filmfare nominations were in male and female playback singing categories. Its National Awards included one for Best Music Direction for Ismail Darbar, who also won the Best Music Director award as well as the special R. D. Burman Award at the 45th Filmfare Awards in 2000. The other notable winner was Aishwarya Rai, who won her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress for the film.
Image: Courtesy of IMDb
7 /10
IMDb rating: 7.2
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Tanvi Azmi, Milind Soman, Mahesh Manjrekar, Aditya Pancholi
Synopsis: Maratha general Baji Rao I (Singh) falls in love with Mastani (Padukone), the princess of Bundelkhand. But Baji Rao I is already married to Kashibai (Chopra), leading to a situation that creates conflict not only in the lives of all three but also in the polity.
Awards: Won seven National Awards, including Best Director, and nine Filmfare Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.
More about the film: The film was based on Nagnath S. Inamdar’s 1972 Marathi historical fiction Rau.
Part of the film was shot on location at Amer Fort in Rajasthan. But it was most talked about for the 22 grand sets created in Film City. These included the two main sets, which stood in for the real-life Shaniwar Wada and the Aina Mahal.
8 /10
IMDb rating: 7.1
Cast: Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Jim Sarbh
Synopsis: Set in the 13th century, Padmavati (Padukone), the Queen of Mewar, reigns over a prosperous kingdom with her husband, Maharawal Ratan Singh (Kapoor). Their land and honour are threatened when the ambitious Alauddin Khalji (Singh), the brutal ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, becomes obsessed with Padmavati’s beauty.
Awards: Won three National Awards and four Filmfare Awards.
More about the film: Sanjay Leela Bhansali not only directed the film but also composed its music. One of the three National Awards won by the film was for Best Music Direction, which went to Bhansali.
Padmaavat is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made, with a budget of around INR 215 crore (approx USD 31 million at the time). It ended up as one of the highest-grossing films in the history of Indian cinema, having earned more than INR 571 crore (USD 72 million at the time) at the worldwide box office.
IMDb rating: 6.4
Cast: Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Supriya Pathak
Synopsis: Ram (Singh) and Leela (Padukone) are attracted to each other. Their respective families, however, have a longstanding rivalry which leads to disaster.
Awards: Won three Filmfare Awards.
More about the film: The story of the film is inspired by William Shakespeare’s epic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.
10 /10
IMDb rating: 5.2
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Salman Khan
Synopsis: A young man named Raj (Ranbir) meets a mysterious girl named Sakina (Sonam) in a city and falls in love with her, not knowing that she is in the city to find her lost lover.
Awards: Won one Filmfare Award
More about the film: Saawariya marked the debut of Rishi Kapoor’s son Ranbir and actor Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam. It is the only flop in Bhansali’s career. Despite that, the film remains noteworthy for it marks the last appearance of Indian cinema legends Zohra Sehgal and Begum Para.
Image: Courtesy of IMDb
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
