Deepika, Ranveer, Priyanka make me want to direct: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

"I love Ranveer, Deepika and Priyanka. I used to have this kind of equation with Rani and Aishwarya, and I could connect [with them]. I used to like directing them and watching them come from the make-up room to the set all dressed up," he says.

Film-maker

Ranveer-Singh-and-Deepika-Padukone-plant-a-kiss-on-director-Sanjay-Leela-Bhansali-s-cheek

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

has worked with some of the best actors in Bollywood.

From Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan to Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rani Mukerji, Bhansali has won accolades for his films starring these actors — both as director and producer.







While his last directorial, the Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone-starrer (2013) fared well at the box office, his recent production with Priyanka Chopra has also done decent business.

And now, Bhansali is teaming up with the three young actors for his upcoming period film . "I love Ranveer, Deepika and Priyanka. I used to have this kind of equation with Rani and Aishwarya, and I could connect [with them]. I used to like directing them and watching them come from the make-up room to the set all dressed up. I feel the same about these three now," says the film-maker.



When asked what he likes about these actors, he says, "Ranveer is a great actor. He’s got the earthiness that is needed for one to connect with the mainstream audience. He also has the intelligence and the cinematic temperament to understand the nuances of world cinema. That combination is lethal. If he plays his roles well and stays focused, he can be one of the greatest actors in India in the next five years. The same goes for Deepika and Priyanka. They are wonderful girls."