Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra has replaced Aishwarya Rai BachchanReuters/Varinder Chawla

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had always remained Sanjay Leela Bhansali's favourite actress, but it seems like Priyanka Chopra has become his latest muse.

There were at times when Bhansali would not have done film without the former Miss World Aishwarya. Be it the epic love story "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", "Devdas" or "Guzaarish", Bhansali had always signed Aishwarya for the lead actress role.

But the equation between the Bachchan bahu and Bhansali seems to have changed after she rejected the item song in "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela."

The item number was later offered to Chopra, which went on to become a massive hit. And since then the friendship between Bhansali and Chopra has become the talk of the town.

Recently, Bhansali also hosted a birthday party for Chopra at his residence.

"Never in his life, would Sanjay have dreamt of hosting a party for anyone in his house. In fact, he has never had a party in his house. But he did it for PC last week, on the occasion of her birthday. He not only hosted a birthday party for PC, he also personally invited all his friends, and hers," a source close to Bhansali told Bollywood Hungama.

Chopra has been working in Bhansali's "Mary Kom." Although, the film is just produced under Bhansali's banner, he worked on the editing part of the biopic.

"Mary Kom has been designed to turn PC into a hero of the masses. PC was so impressed by SLB that she blindly and unquestioningly said yes to a role in 'Bajirao Mastani,' although she didn't have the title role," the source said.

Last year, after the release of "Ram-leela" it was believed that Deepika Padukone has replaced Bachchan bahu as Bhansali's new favourite actress. But its Chopra who has toppled both Aishwarya and Padukone to become the ace director's latest muse.