Sanjay Leela Bhansali takes 'being selective' to new levels for his film

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has decided to do away with a premiere of Guzaarish. Or at least a lavish one where the whole industry is invited. The premiere will be the first of its kind.

Small, select and without sho-sha. Today, there will be a mini-premiere and only 30 handpicked guests will attend.

This "screened screening" is expected to curtail all the adverse comments that as a rule go out of film premieres by SMS just hours before the release of a film thereby influencing powerful opinions on the eve of the decisive Friday.

Bitter experience

Says a source close to SLB, "Sanjay had a very bitter experience at the premiere of his last film Saawariya.

Some of the VVIP invitees who told him that he had made another masterpiece were busy sending out bulk messages against the film during the premiere.

Since the Saawariya premiere took place two nights (on Wednesday rather than Thursday) before its public release the damage done was irreparable. Sanjay decided there and then to never have a premiere of any of his films."

Family screening

The director had the first screening of Guzaarish for cast members and their families on Monday night. Neither the film's heroine Aishwarya Rai Bachchan nor her family was present.

But Hrithik was there with wife Sussanne. After the screening, the director allowed himself to be convinced to show the film to a few chosen ones.

Who's invited

These special handpicked invitees include leading man Hrithik's parents Pinky and Rakesh Roshan, the Bachchans, Rekha, Shabana and Javed Akhtar, Deepika Padukone-Priyanka Chopra-Sonam Kapoor (whom Bhansali calls his 'teen deviyan'), Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri, Karan Johar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Rakeysh Mehra and Ranbir Kapoor (who is expected to fly from Dharamshala just for the premiere although he's shooting in a far-off hill resort for Imtiaz Ali's Rock Star).

What matters...

Says Bhansali, "What is the sense of inviting people you know are not going to have anything good to say about your film? I am totally against a premiere.

At the same time there are people I want to share the film with." He has already got the big thumbs-up he needed, "For me, it was more than enough that my mother liked the film. All other opinions, I'll take with a pinch of salt."