When Sanjay Leela Bhansali told Ameesha Patel to RETIRE after Gadar: 'You’ve already achieved in two films...'

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is enjoying the success of his latest web series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. He is known for bringing out powerful performances from his actors. However, actress Ameesha Patel once revealed in an interview that Bhansali had advised her to retire after her first two hit films, which were huge successes.
A Heartfelt Compliment After Gadar’s Success
While promoting Gadar 2, Ameesha recalled a memorable moment with the filmmaker. After watching Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, he sent her a heartfelt letter praising her performance. During a meeting, he even suggested she retire, saying she had achieved in two films what many actors never do in a lifetime. At the time, she didn’t fully grasp his words as she was still new to the industry.
A Grand Debut Followed by a Blockbuster
The actress began her Bollywood career with Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai opposite Hrithik Roshan, which became a huge hit. She followed it up with Gadar: Ek Prem Katha alongside Sunny Deol. The film turned into a blockbuster and earned immense love, collecting around $1.33 billion worldwide.
Missed Opportunities with Top Filmmakers
Ameesha once shared that she lost out on working with top filmmakers due to issues with her then-manager. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, she revealed that even Sanjay Leela Bhansali avoided projects with her because he didn’t get along with her manager. These missed chances affected her career growth.
Facing a Career Slump
Ameesha Patel faced a career slump in 2003 when several of her films failed at the box office. Although she was part of hits like Bhool Bhulaiyaa, her role didn’t gain much attention. She later shared that she felt targeted during this phase and believed having a godfather in the industry might have protected her career.
After her impressive debut, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha proved to be a turning point in Ameesha Patel’s career. While it established her as a strong performer, she believes the film also hurt her career. In an interview with IANS, she said the success set such a high benchmark that her later films couldn’t match up, affecting her journey negatively. On the work front Sanjay Leela Bhansali's previous outing was the web series 'Heeramandi'. Even though the series was praised for it's stunning visuals, the SLB directorial didn't get much adulation from the viewers for the underwhelming content. ETimes review for the series reads, "While visually stunning, Heeramandi stumbles in its pacing. The hour-long episodes feel drawn out until mid-season due to a large cast and numerous intertwined storylines. As the narrative gets intermittently confusing, viewers may find their attention wavering. The show has the nuance, flair, drama, and aesthetic that make every Bhansali offering a spectacle, but the story and screenplay (by Bhansali and Divy Nidhi Sharma) could have been sharper and more compelling."
SLB's upcoming project
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is currently working on his most ambitious film yet, 'Love & War', starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal. Set during a war, the story focuses on love and rivalry, with Ranbir and Vicky playing two determined Indian Army officers whose clash of egos drives the drama.
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