Ismail Darbar opened up about his fallout with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, alleging he was “betrayed” after being replaced on Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, despite years of collaboration. He expressed hurt but apologised, saying reconciliation depends on God’s will
Ismail Darbar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Veteran composer Ismail Darbar has spoken candidly about his fallout with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, reflecting on their long association and the hurt he experienced after being replaced on Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
Ismail Darbar opens up about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's fallout
Darbar recalled that they shared a strong creative partnership during films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. “We used to fight during the making of every song,” he said, adding, “I respect him a lot in this matter because he gave me and my family a lot of love. We had a good bond till Heeramandi.”
However, things changed when Darbar was removed from Heeramandi after working on it for nearly one and a half years. Expressing his disappointment, he said, “He betrayed me, not one, but twice. He committed to working with me, and then didn’t do so. I had worked on Heeramandi for 1.5 years, and he didn’t tell me before replacing me.”
Darbar also shared that Bhansali had invited him to the premiere, saying, “I didn’t call anyone else but you.” But by then, the composer admitted, “My heart had already broken,” and he chose not to attend the event.
On getting replaced in Heeramandi
Despite the rift, Darbar fondly remembered their earlier collaborations. Speaking about the iconic song Tadap Tadap from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, he said, “He was crying like a dog,” recalling how Bhansali reacted emotionally after hearing the track multiple times. “It was this song that completed his film in his mind,” Darbar added.
He also spoke about Bhansali’s personal support during difficult times. “When my father had died, it was Sanjay who brought me this news at night, and he also came to Surat, my hometown,” Darbar shared. He added that Bhansali attended his mother’s funeral and sat by her grave for a long time. “Even I or any of my relatives didn’t sit there for so long,” he said.
While acknowledging the pain, Darbar did not entirely rule out reconciliation. “This will not happen if I, you or Sanjay wish about it. This will happen only if God will want us to work together,” he said. He concluded by adding, “And this is why I’m saying sorry to Sanjay. And I am apologising to the audience for my remarks.”
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