Mithun Chakraborty's character modelled on Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Hawaizaada: Vibhu Puri

Vibhu Puri, the director of the period film Hawaizaada does not deny his guru Sanjay Leela Bhansali's contribution to the film's visual and emotional design. "I've studied in Sanjay Bhansali school of filmmaking. I've learnt everything about filmmaking from him. So it is only natural that I hold his influence in my creativity," confesses Puri.

The debutant director goes a step further to reveal that the mentor-pupil relationship in Hawaizaada is modelled on his own stormy relationship with Bhansali. "The relationship between Mithunda and Ayushmann Khurrana is based on my own rapport with Sanjay sir. We'd have heated arguments and I'd storm off threatening to never return. There is a sequence where Ayushmann fights and returns to Mithunda after a few hours and Mithunda smirks, 'You are back in just two hours? I thought you'd be back after two days.' That's exactly what Sanjay Sir had told me once."

Vibhu is very keen to show his film to his mentor.