- By Tanya Garg
- Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ismail Darbar, who worked in movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas, recently talked about how filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali replaced him in the popular Netflix series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The seasoned music composer expressed his hurt when discussing his fallout. Sanjay Leela Bhansali allegedly 'betrayed' Ismail Darbar twice.
Ismail Darbar clarified that he and Bhansali had a solid working relationship for many years. While speaking to Subhojit Ghosh for his YouTube channel, he claimed that when media outlets characterised him as the main factor supporting Heeramandi, their relationship started to change.
Ismail Darbar said, "We used to fight during the making of every song. I respect him a lot in this matter because he gave me and my family a lot of love. We had a good bond till Heeramandi (sic)."
Ismail Darbar disclosed that he felt deceived after working on Heeramandi for about a year and a half before being replaced. "He betrayed me, not once, but twice. He committed to working with me, and then didn’t do so. I had worked on Heeramandi for 1.5 years, and he didn’t tell me before replacing me." The well-known composer disclosed that he received an invitation from Sanjay Leela Bhansali to attend the Heeramandi premiere. "My heart had already broken." He decided not to go to the event.
Ismail Darbar said that his lengthy relationship with Sanjay Leela Bhansali had its ups and downs. He said that they respected each other's efforts even during trying times. He felt betrayed and disappointed by the course of events during Heeramandi.
Ismail Darbar does not entirely rule out future collaborations in spite of the fallout. He stated that he might collaborate with Sanjay Leela Bhansali once more if circumstances permitted, but only in certain situations. He acknowledged that it was difficult for him to give his side of the tale and apologised to his supporters for discussing the issue in public.