After facing significant criticism and harsh trolling on social media, renowned filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has finally responded to the feedback regarding his niece, Sharmin Segal’s performance in his latest series, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’.
Bhansali, celebrated for his perfectionist approach and his blockbuster films, has a track record of extracting stellar performances from actors like Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerji, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, and Alia Bhatt. His new Netflix series, ‘Heeramandi,’ continues this trend with a star-studded cast.
However, Segal, who plays Alamzeb in the series, has been singled out for a lackluster and emotionless performance, with critics calling her the weakest link in the ensemble. Many viewers speculated that her casting in a prominent role was due to her familial connection to Bhansali.
In a recent interview, Bhansali discussed the performances of the entire cast, including Segal, in his highly anticipated series. He addressed the criticism and shared his perspective on the feedback surrounding his niece’s role.
Bhansali chose not to address the criticism around her acting but rather praised Segal’s work. He said, “She kept saying, ‘Mama, I’ll underplay.’ I said, ‘Underplay? Are you thinking I’m going to ask you to overplay?”
However, speaking about this ‘new energy’, brought to the table by the young generation of actors, SLB said, “I know that they [the new generation of actors] love me as much. I can see it in the way [they ask me], ‘Are you happy? Should we do one more take? Can we do it one more time? Are you okay? I can see that love in their eyes. Now that’s very rare.”
For the unversed, Segal also assisted her uncle, veteran filmmaker Bhansali, on blockbusters like ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’, ‘Bajirao Mastani’ and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, before making her on-screen debut in his production ‘Malaal’ and bagging the key role in his series.
Meanwhile, the eight-part Netflix series ‘Heeramandi,’ directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, follows the lives of six courtesans in the red-light district of Lahore. The series features an ensemble cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Manisha Koirala, and Sanjeeda Sheikh.
