Whatever his achievements might say, I think his dimeanour leaves a lot to be desired. Any achievement in art ought to be measurable against certain parameters. His chewing pan masala (gutkha???) while receiving the award on the podium seems a big disrespect to the institution that bestows the award. I think this basic etiquette and sensibility is necessary to be recognised as an artist. Tomorrow, will it be okay for a person to walk upto the podium with a cigarette dangling from his lips while accepting the award? Such flippancy should not be tolerated. Kunal Ganjawala was similarly chewing gum when he came to receive his award for ’’bheege hoth tere’’.
His Black was a masterpiece, while Devdas was a joke on Saratchandra’s novel. Lavishness and grandeur were totally misplaced in that tragedy, and just because lavish portrayal his Bhansali’s strength, he has no right to place it in that context to gain directorial mileage. Honest depiction rather than glamorous projection would have done the novelist justice.