/> His 42nd birthday which he celebrated on Feb 24, is an occasion Sanjay Leela Bhansali won't forget easily.

On the sets of his film Sawariya all the junior artistes gave him the surprise of his life. "I had the most touching experience of my life. At 6 pm when we had to pack up all my junior artistes suddenly came to me in a large group, presented me a lovely Ganpati statute and a bouquet and burst into the 'Happy Birthday'.

Suddenly my 14 years as a filmmaker seemed worthwhile. To have earned the goodwill of these people, to have them feel so sincerely happy on my birthday, what more could I ask for?"

Sanjay whose ideal birthday gift is a day spent with his mother and sister and his two nieces has a lot to look forward to this year. "I've my Sawariya coming up for release, and my sister Bela is starting her own film which I'm very excited about. 42 seems like a ripe old age.

But I don't feel old. I just feel there's so much more I want to do. I've promised a dear friend that I'll make 25 films during my lifetime. I've 21 more to go. Movies are my life. But I also want to experience a life beyond movies."

In summer 2008 Sanjay leaves for Paris to direct an opera. "I'm seeing that as a part of a continuous flow in my creativity. People who follow my films carefully see Black and Devdas as operatic in mood and texture. I want to bring elements from my own creative element into the opera."