Ismail Darbar felt ‘betrayed’ when Sanjay Leela Bhansali replaced him in Heeramandi after 1.5 years: My heart was broken

Ismail Darbar has reignited his feud with one-time friend Sanjay Leela Bhansali, saying he betrayed him by dropping him from Heeramandi.

Composer Ismail Darbar and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali have several notable collaborations. The composer scored the music of many of Bhansali’s early hits, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas, both known for their iconic soundtracks. The two were set to reunite after years in Heeramandi, Bhansali’s ambitious project, before the filmmaker decided to score it himself.

Ismail Darbar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali in happier times.

Ismail Darbar on being replaced in Heeramandi

In a recent interview, Ismal Darbar said he felt ‘betrayed’ by being replaced in the project after giving it over a year of his life.

In an interview with Subhojit Ghosh on YouTube, Ismail Darbar looked back at his exit from Heeramandi, which was in development for half a decade before its 2024 release. The composer said of Bhansali, “He betrayed me, not once, but twice. He committed to working with me, and then didn’t do so. I had worked on Heeramandi for 1.5 years, and he didn’t tell me before replacing me.”

The composer added that Bhansali tried to reconcile later by inviting him to the show’s premiere, but he felt heartbroken and could not attend. “We used to fight during the making of every song. I respect him a lot in this matter because he gave my family and me a lot of love. We had a good bond till Heeramandi, he called me from the front to invite me to the show’s premiere. He had told me that he didn’t call anyone else but me, but by that time, my heart had already broken. If Sanjay and I would have done Heeramandi together, we would have created history,” Darbar added.

About Heeramandi

Heeramandi, directed and created by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was originally conceptualised as a film in the 2000s. However, after being stuck in development hell for a decade, it was eventually revived as a web series after the pandemic. The show stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, and Taha Shah Badussha. It was released on Netflix in May 2024 to largely negative reviews but was a success on the streaming platform, setting new viewership records in the first week. A second season is in development. Sanjay Leela Bhansali composed all the original songs for the show, while Benedict Taylor scored the background.

Ismail Darbar began his journey as a composer in Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999, for which he won a National Award. He has composed music for around two dozen films in his career.