Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and music composer Ismail Darbar worked together in films like Devdas and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. However, after Devdas, they never collaborated again. In a recent conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Ismail’s son and Bigg Boss 19 fame Awez Darbar revealed that Ismail and Bhansali share a Tom-and-Jerry-like relationship.

Awez Darbar says his father Ismail Darbar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have a lot of ego clashes. Awez Darbar says his father Ismail Darbar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have a lot of ego clashes. Awez Darbar talks about Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ismail Darbar’s relationship

Awez revealed that Ismail and Bhansali often patch up but end up fighting again. He said, “They have a Tom and Jerry-like relationship. They get mad at each other over the smallest of things and leave the project. I have seen this a lot. For us, it becomes a big thing, ‘Oh God, you have left a film?’ Our point of view is stable, but they are on a different plane. And then they get back as well. They start talking again. So I have never understood their relationship. In their hearts, they respect each other a lot, but there are a lot of ego clashes, as far as I can see.”

When asked if his father left Heeramandi due to ego clashes, Awez admitted, “Not just Heeramandi, all the films… They get back, they make music, and then something happens, and the cycle repeats itself. I don’t know what happens because I have never witnessed it myself.”

In October this year, during a conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Ismail had described Bhansali as egoistic and said that he would not work with him again, not even if he were offered ₹100 crore. Ismail said, “He understood that the backbone was Ismail Darbar: I was the backbone in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam… I was the backbone in Devdas too. I’m not the one saying this — his PR said it; it was on the front pages. So I had seen his ego. Fear had crept in that I work so hard, and he takes the credit.”

Ismail won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 2000. He also composed music for films like Shakti: The Power, Kisna: The Warrior Poet and Mehbooba, among others.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming movie

Meanwhile, Bhansali is currently working on his upcoming film Love & War, which stars Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles. The film is scheduled to release in theatres in 2026.