Sanjay Bhansali's Padmavati wins over the French

BHANSALI'S WINNER: Padmavati is currently playing to packed houses at the famous Théâtre du Châtelet.

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Mumbai: Sanjay Leela Bhansali is currently taking a break from films and is busy in Paris.

Known for his poetic opulence on the big screen in India, Bhansali is now wooing the French with his new opera-ballet Padmavati.

Currently playing to packed houses at the famous Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Padmavati is a revival of Albert Rousell's operatic adaptation of the story of the legendary Queen of Chittor, which first premiered in Paris in 1923.

Following a trip to India in the 1920s, Rousell was left deeply impressed by the tale of the 13th- century Queen who chose to die over her husband's funeral pyre instead of surrendering to an enemy King.

Belying skeptics, Bhansali's first foray into the world of opera drew huge appreciation from the French media.

Being relatively unknown to this art form, the Devdas director tapped his hidden operatic influence and brought together a grand ensemble of French and Indian actors, dancers in ethnic Indian wear, and even a live elephant with an equal dose of European operatic elements.

After a successful run in Paris, there are plans to take Padmavati to India as well, with the director hoping to bring his work to Padmavati's historical fortress in Rajasthan.