FC-Ormax Power List of Directors 2024: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

With Gangubai Kathiawadi, Bhansali put forward a story of a woman, a brothel madam, unencumbered by desire for a man, paving her own path. Its success, both critical and commercial, was validation that such stories will find their audience if told with intention and force. His tilt towards streaming, with the successful show Heeramandi — which has already announced a second season — is testament to the scale of his vision being unbothered by the scale of his medium. Bhansali has turned from a noun into an adjective, meaning a visual experience of baroque extravagance, a testament to his power and how he has shaped the language and expectations with which we tell and receive stories. 

The Power List is NOT a ranking and is arranged alphabetically. For more information on the methodology, click here.