Heeramandi series: Actor Sonakshi Sinha, who played the role of Fareedan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, reveals why every actor wants to work with the filmmaker. Sonakshi appeared as a guest in the latest episode of Raj Shamani’s podcast, where she shared her experience of working with Bhansali. ‘Heeramandi’, one of the highly anticipated series, marks her first collaboration with the director.
During the interview, Sonakshi was asked what makes Sanjay Leela Bhansali stand out as a filmmaker and why he is on the checklist of every Bollywood actor.
Sharing her experience of being on the sets with Bhansali, Sonakshi Sinha said, “I think once I started working with him, that's when I realised what it actually is. Here is a man who I've met, who does not see beyond his craft. He eats, sleeps, and breathes work. I don't think I've ever had a conversation with him that was outside of work and about what he's trying to achieve: how he sees things, how he wants his actors to look, how he wants to portray his characters on screen, about the art in his work, you know, the set, the costume, all of that.”
“I've never met anyone who displays this kind of obsession. Obsession—yeah, that's the right word—and madness towards his work. And that really shows. It was such a pleasure watching this man. Just kind of bring things to life. And he didn't want; he is not an easy show to execute; the characters are not easy; they're all very, very complex. It was just poetry in motion watching him do that,” she added.
The ABP Live review of the series reads: Behind the shiny garb of grace and pose, 'Heeramandi' chronicles the trials and tribulations of the nautch girls. Even though the sets might keep reminding you of Bhansali’s other works, the series stands out in quite a few ways. The performance-heavy series delves into the agency of women in the red-light area and their contributions to the freedom movement. Unfortunately, the director himself distracts the viewers from the very core of the script and keeps his lens focused more on the star-crossed lovers Alamzeb, Mallikajaan’s youngest daughter, and Tajdar, a young Nawab. Alamzeb (Sharmin Segal), who lives in her dreamy world far from her own reality, bumps into Tajdar (played by Taha Shah Badussha), a rebellious lawyer.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut series, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar', stars an ensemble cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal along with Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman. It began streaming on Netflix on May 1.