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Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the tender masculinity of his men – Ethan from Guzaarish to Joseph from Khamoshi

In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s world, men hold empathy close to their hearts. Ethan from Guzaarish to Joseph from Khamoshi are prime examples

Shubham Kulkarni

Feb 24, 2024

Men In The Sanjay Leela Bhansali World

How men are portrayed in movies is something that we have been discussing over the past couple of months. The words misogyny, toxicity, and male chauvinism took centre stage in conversation, and soon we were seeking characters that are antidotes to a certain 'animal' set loose in the open. So while we discuss filmmakers with a resume of movies with men serving as allies to women and making their lives better, most of the time we miss mentioning one name, and that is the maverick director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In a career spanning 25 years and 10 films, the filmmaker has given Hindi cinema some of the most moving pieces of art. But the grandeur of his world often ends up overshadowing something else.

Besides the opulence in the darkest of the corners of his world, Bhansali is also appreciated for the women he creates. Their grit and stubbornness to not accept anything less than the best is what makes them characters that justify the world the filmmaker creates. But while these women rule the screen, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is also someone who is teaching men how to be allies to the women who beam power. He wants them to co-exist. Of course, there are shades of grey in them just like real people, but the men are also thoughtful of the ladies in their lives.

So today, as the filmmaker celebrates his birthday and also gears up for his digital debut with Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar on Netflix, let’s take a look back at the men he created who know what it takes to be true humans and lovers, while we have obsessed enough over the women. Read on.

Also Read: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Feminine Odyssey; Chandramukhi to Gangubai - Love, Rebellion, and the Grandeur of Agency

Ethan from Guzaarish

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapur, and ensemble.

Streaming On: Google Play and YouTube (on rent)

He was bedridden for 12 years; a woman was always by his side and never took a day off from his service. They called her his nurse, but was she just a nurse and her patient living a life together? Guzaarish is one of the most underrated Sanjay Leela Bhansali films, and the achingly beautiful relationship that the filmmaker presents here is precious. Ethan, while being at loggerheads with Sofia most of the time, also knows that he loves her. The confirmation comes through his eyes when he watches her dance freely for the first time in 12 years. Her absence hurts him, and the only time he feels the most helpless is when he cannot save her from the clutches of an abusive husband. Ethan is a man who needs his lover to express his love on his behalf, and Sofia is ready to do that.

Raj from Saawariya

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, and ensemble.

Streaming On: NA

Saawariya is the most wildly beautiful idea that came to Bhansali’s mind, and there are no two doubts about it. The filmmaker thought of a man who could enter an imaginary town and spread happiness in the lives of three women living with pain and the aftermath of it. Longing is a recurring theme in Saawariya, where a sex worker wants a man to just be with her for a night and not demand anything; a woman wants to meet her lover; and an old lady cannot fill the void her son left. And Raj becomes the medium for all of them, and we all want a Raj in our lives.

Debraj Sahai from Black

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and ensemble.

Streaming On: Netflix.

He held her hands and walked her towards the light, only to realise darkness was always hurtling down for him. The world right now is busy discovering Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black, which will always be one of the best Hindi films ever. Debraj Sahai (Amitabh Bachchan) is a man who wants to help his student in every way possible, even if this means fulfilling her demand, which would make him fall in his own eyes. Black is a movie that must be experienced rather than read about, and you must do that right away.

Vanraj from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, and ensemble.

Streaming On: Jio Cinema.

How often do you come across a man who would help his wife find her lover and is so secure that he would hide his love for the same woman so she could find her happiness? While Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is about Sameer (Salman Khan), it was Vanraj (Ajay Devgn) who was the most achingly beautiful character. It was he who was on the losing end of everything if Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) decided to go with Sameer. He did not care about how society would look at him for what he was doing, and that is the most beautiful part about the character.

Joseph from Khamoshi The Musical

Cast: Salman Khan, Manisha Koirala, Nana Patekar, Seema Biswas, and ensemble.

Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video.

There is so much in Khamoshi to absorb. A movie so simple yet so full of heart and music that you would fall in love with it no matter what. Joseph (Nana Patekar), a mute man, has loved his wife (Seema Biswas), who is also mute, and together they have built their world. They give birth to a daughter (Manisha Koirala) who can speak but has to grow up with the silence that is in her household. Joseph gives her something that he could never have: the art of music. Khamoshi was the music of silence, and watching Joseph feel the music even when he couldn’t listen to it is what makes it one of the most beautiful movies of our time.

Happy birthday, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and thank you for giving us men who are humans first. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more content like this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

Also Read: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black hits Netflix; Ranbir Kapoor being Amitabh Bachchan’s body double to a Turkish remake – 5 fascinating trivia about the film

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