Here's why Sanjay Leela Bhansali calls Deepika Padukone a giraffe

Not many may know that Deepika Padukone happens to be the only female actor, after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who Sanjay Leela Bhansali has cast in a lead role more than once. While Aishwarya has starred in three films made by the filmmaker — Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Devdas (2002) and Guzaarish (2010) — Deepika was last seen in his 2013 venture, Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela. She also stars in Bhansali’s upcoming film, Bajirao Mastani.

Not many may know that Deepika Padukone happens to be the only female actor, after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who Sanjay Leela Bhansali has cast in a lead role more than once. While Aishwarya has starred in three films made by the filmmaker — Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Devdas (2002) and Guzaarish (2010) — Deepika was last seen in his 2013 venture, Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela. She also stars in Bhansali’s upcoming film,

Bajirao-MastaniWhen-December-2015Original-date-Announced-in-2003Status-Film-maker-Sanjay-Leela-Bhansali-originally-wanted-to-cast-Salman-Khan-and-Aishwarya-Rai-Bachchan-in-the-film-The-cast-then-changed-to-Salman-Kareena-Kapoor-Khan-and-Rani-Mukerji-but-the-film-got-shelved-The-film-is-currently-being-shot-with-Ranveer-Singh-Deepika-Padukone-and-Priyanka-Chopra

Bajirao Mastani

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Meanwhile, the filmmaker and actor seem to have developed a great working relationship. "I love working with Deepika,” says Bhansali, adding, “Whenever her face appears on the monitor, I get hypnotised. Have you seen her neck? It looks like a swan’s."

Inform Deepika about this compliment, and the 29-year-old smiles, saying, "Sanjay has a lot of names for me. One day, he calls me a giraffe. The next day he calls me a gazelle, and then a swan, and then something else. I simply love him."

She adds, "We have built a very beautiful equation in the last two years of working with each other. A lot is understood without saying anything, and I like that."

Read: Ranveer Singh to go bald for Bajirao Mastani