Sanjay Leela Bhansali refused to work with Fardeen in the 2000s

Fardeen Khan is making his acting comeback after over a decade with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Netflix’ series, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’. In an interview with a popular entertainment portal, the actor revealed that he approached Sanjay for work in the 2000s, but the director felt he lacked passion.

In a recent interview, Fardeen was told that Sanjay had written a small role for him in ‘Black’ (2005). However, it couldn’t materialise. The actor responded by saying this was news to him.

“You know, I am going to narrate a story that I reminded Sanjay sir when I went to meet him for Wali Mohammed (Fardeen character in ‘Heeramandi’). I had gone to his office in the early 2000s to seek work obviously to get the opportunity to work with him. He met with* me, we sat and we spoke for about 10-15 minutes. He said, ‘You know, Fardeen, I don’t think we can work because I don’t see that fire in your eyes’,” the actor shared.

Fardeen added, “At that time, of course, it felt brutal and I told him this time that even if that sounded brutal at the time, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear and I needed to hear rather. I thanked him for it. He never told me about wanting to cast me into ‘Black’. I am hearing it for the first time. But just to have this chance to be able to work with a master craftsman like him, I am extremely grateful for it. It has been a wonderful learning experience. It has enriched me on many levels.”

Fardeen was told that Sanjay had written a small role for him in ‘Black’ (2005). However, it couldn’t materialise. The actor responded by saying this was news to him