New Delhi: Sharmin Segal has been in news ever since the release of her uncle and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama series 'Heeramandi'. Sharmin, who was also part of the courtesan drama, played the role of Alamzeb in the series. While other actors like Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Aditi Rao Hydari,Manisha Koirala, and Richa Chadha have won applause for their performance in the series, Sharmin seems to have borne a heavy brunt of criticism. Many have called her performance 'robot-like', 'expressionless', 'stoic' and much more.
Sharmin has been at the receiving end of trolls and brutal criticism online. Several memes and clips from her interviews have gone viral. Netizens are bringing back the nepotism debate as far as Bhansali's niece casting and performance in 'Heeramandi' is concerned.
Sharmin Segal on getting ‘leeway’ from Sanjay Leela Bhansali on ‘Heeramandi’
Like several others, another interview clip of Sharmin seems to be going viral on the social media platform, Reddit. In the video, we see the interviewer ask Sharmin if she got any leeway on the set of 'Heeramandi'.
Sharmin replied, "Ulta, I don't get any leeways." Richa Chadha interrupts to say, "He is actually quite harsh with her."
Sharmin’s relationship with her uncle and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali
“He loves me a lot. I won't deny that. There are days when he just looks at me, Sharmin, his niece but when I look at him on set, I don't look at him as my uncle. I look at him as Sanjay Leela Bhansali and that's the respect he has earned throughout his life, I can't take that away from him just because I am related to him. Also, I can't change the fact that I am related to him," Sharmin said.
Sharmin added that she had re-watched 'Devdas' when she turned eighteen and realised the genius Sanjay Leela Bhansali is, and how for that reason, she and her sister, both called their uncle sir in public, always.
Talking about how much she respects Bhansali, Sharmin said in the same interview, "I worked with him as an assistant director, and saw the amount of hard work he puts in. Then, I worked with him as an actor and realised the genius and what he can take out of the peole around them. Every step of the way, my respect for the man has just gone higher, and higher."
Meanwhile, Sharmin Segal also assisted Bhansali on the sets of Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Ramleela’. Segal now starred in a key role in the courtesan drama ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ alongside a veteran cast.
‘Heeramandi’ is streaming on Netflix.