Sanjay Leela Bhansali stood up for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan amidst fashion critiques at global events, emphasizing her significant role in representing India beyond just physical appearances. Originally, Bhansali had envisioned Aishwarya and Salman Khan for the lead roles in Bajirao Mastani, but unforeseen circumstances led to her departure, resulting in the film featuring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone instead.
