Aishwarya Rai and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have gotten over their past differences and patched up again for good. The director says that he knew that it was to be so and that he and Ash "bond beyond films".
Ash has been a part of the cinematic inspiration for Bhansali. But problems had cropped up between them during the casting of Bhansali's proposed epic Bajirao Mastani when Aishwarya backed out of acting with Salman Khan in the film.
Bhansali had then called Ash unprofessional and the actress in her turn did not spare abrasive words for the director.
But when Aishwarya recently showed up for a chat with Bhansali on the sets of his ' Black ', the two hugged each other and let bygones be bygones.
The director says their defences dropped the minute the two old friends met.
"Of course, we met. It was very generous of her to drop in to see me so casually. She came to me without an agenda, as a very dear friend who had gone away," say director recalling the reunion.
He adds: "But we both knew we couldn't sulk for too long. Frankly, it felt like a load off our back when we met. There was no awkwardness because we were both clean in our hearts. We reached out honestly as two friends who needed to reach out to each other. I realized my love for her remains unchanged. We can never be parted for long."
"She cannot be too far away from my vision as a human being and a filmmaker. I feel we understand each other instinctively as human beings and artistes."
So is there a chance of Ash and Bhansali coming together in the near future?
"Why not? She's as capable of bringing out the best in me as I am. We've met, albeit just once. But that was enough to make us realise we're bonded beyond films."
