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Home > Entertainment News > Bollywood News > Article > Manish Malhotra reveals why Sanjay Leela Bhansali did not work with him I was close to Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra

Manish Malhotra reveals why Sanjay Leela Bhansali did not work with him: 'I was close to Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra'

Updated on: 30 October,2025 05:48 PM IST  |  Mumbai
mid-day online correspondent |

Manish Malhotra, who recently appeared on Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle with Sonakshi Sinha, revealed why Sanjay Leela Bhansali did not work with him. He shared that his closeness with Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra affected his professional life with Bhansali

Manish Malhotra reveals why Sanjay Leela Bhansali did not work with him: 'I was close to Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra'

Manish Malhotra and Sanjay Leela Bhansali

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Fashion designer Manish Malhotra has been dolling up celebrities with his stunning outfits in the entertainment industry for over three decades now. He has worked with some of the top filmmakers in the country on the biggest films. During a recent interaction, the designer revealed how he has worked with many filmmakers multiple times, except Sanjay Leela Bhansali, with whom he collaborated just once. 

Manish Malhotra on Sanjay Leela Bhansali


On his recent appearance on the chat show Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle, Manish revealed how Sanjay has never collaborated with the designer since his debut film over 30 years ago. Manish claimed that it was largely due to Bhansali's assumption that Manish was part of a ‘group’ with Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra.



Manish Malhotra was seen on the show alongside actress Sonakshi Sinha. The hosts, Kajol and Twinkle Khanna, opened up about frequent collaborators, during which Kajol mentioned that he has worked with all top directors except Bhansali. Manish responded to this saying, “I did only one film, Khamoshi. After that, we never worked together.” Notably, Khamoshi: The Musical, which was released in 1996, was Bhansali’s directorial debut. Since then, he has directed nine more films and one web series, Heeramandi.

Further elaborating about why they didn’t work together after Khamoshi, Manish shared, “I think once somebody asked him that and he always thought I was very friendly with Karan Johar and Adi (Aditya Chopra), in that group kind of thing.” The designer also recalled confronting Bhansali about it later, sharing, “I said, 'Sanjay, I am a professional and I can work with so many different actors.' Yes, but sometimes some things just don't happen, and then you just make your own path.”

About Manish Malhotra

Manish Malhotra started his career modelling in the 1980s, after which he became a stylist for Divya Bharti in an unreleased 1989 film. Later, he made his debut as a costume designer with Swarg in 1990 before designing costumes for memorable films like Rangeela, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Veer-Zaara, Enthiran, and more. Today, he is among the most sought-after designers in the country.

Additionally, Manish Malhotra is set to make his debut as a producer with the romantic drama Gustaakh Ishq, starring Vijay Varma and Fatima Sana Shaikh.

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