Pakistani actress Mahira Khan reveals that about 15 years ago ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali had offered her a role in his ambitious project Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. While Mahira was excited to be a part of it, things failed to materialize following political tensions between the two countries. She now speaks about her rendezvous with the movie maverick, and how she was advised to lie about her marital status to him. 

Bhansali offered Heeramandi to Mahira Khan 

In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Mahira Khan revealed that she met Bhansali after coming to Mumbai for a wedding when he was on the lookout for a Pakistani actress. Mahira met the filmmaker via Moin Beg and Bhansali asked for her pictures sans any makeup. She said, "What a man he is! So creative and a genius. He said, `Can you wipe your lipstick off?` I said, `I`m not wearing any lipstick`. So, he said, `Wipe it off` and I did. He said, ‘Wow`. At that time he told me about Heeramandi. He was very excited that I could be a part of it but it didn`t work out. It was in the works and it was a film at that time and right after that, some attacks happened. So for political problems, I couldn`t work in it."