Hong Kong, Feb. 5 -- Sanjay Leela Bhansali is one of the most critically and commercially successful directors in Indian cinema, with movies ranging from passionate love stories to historical narratives. He is praised for the grandness of the visual spectacle in his movies, whose stories often push societal boundaries.

Bhansali began his career in Bollywood as the assistant director on the sets of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's classic

(1989). His next mega project was

(1994), considered widely as a landmark film in Indian cinema. While Chopra, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam and Kamna Chandra wrote the film's story, Bhansali co-wrote its screenplay with Chopra and Subramaniam.

Bhansali made his directorial debut with

(1996) and has since directed nine...