Madhuri Dixit On Working With Sanjay Leela Bhansali In Devdas: 'People Call Him Taskmaster But...'

Madhuri Dixit has recalled her experience of working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Devdas, a film that continues to be regarded as one of Hindi cinema’s most visually opulent classics. Bhansali, according to Madhuri, brought poetry not just to the screen but also to the process of filmmaking.

Speaking about her role as Chandramukhi, Madhuri described the character as deeply layered and emotionally rich. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with Bhansali Ji. Chandramukhi was such an extremely important character in the film. Not just the dance moves but every scene in the film feels like poetry,” she said.

Drawing a spiritual parallel, the actress explained how Chandramukhi’s journey reminded her of Meera Bai. “She has an innate innocence. She was like

Meera basically, because she loves someone that she knows cannot love her back. So we wanted to capture that passion, those small nuances, that work on the language,” Madhuri shared, adding that both she and Bhansali “had a great time working together”.

The actress also spoke at length about the physical demands of filming Bhansali’s meticulously crafted sequences, especially the iconic song Kahe Chhed Chhed Mohe. Madhuri said the ghaghra she wore was exceptionally heavy. “It was made of real velvet with real embroidery work on it. The use of real beads made it even heavier,” she revealed.

The weight of the costume was so intense that even after she stopped spinning, the ghaghra would continue to whirl around her. Despite the challenges, Madhuri believes the effort was worth it. “When you see it on the screen, his eye for detail, the way he shoots every scene, you feel it was all worth it,” she said.

Addressing Bhansali’s reputation as a perfectionist, often labelled a taskmaster, the actress offered a warm counterpoint. “People call him a taskmaster, but when we were working together, he was very sweet on the set. He would just say one thing: just give me some magic.”

More than two decades after Devdas was released, Madhuri Dixit’s memories reaffirm why her collaboration with Sanjay Leela Bhansali remains one of the most celebrated actor-director partnerships in Indian cinema.