Heermandi Actor Sharmin Segal Says She Took Inspiration From Meena Kumari's Pakeezah To Play Alamzeb

'Heeramandi' actor Sharmin Segal faced severe criticism from the audience for her portrayal of Alamzeb.

Sharmin said that she drew inspiration from Meena Kumari’s portayal in ‘Pakeezah’. ( Image Source :Instagram/@sharminsegal )

Actor Sharmin Segal, who starred in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s digital debut series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, faced severe criticism from the audience for her performance. The actor became a target for trolls, who not only slammed her acting skills but also her off-screen conduct. 

Sharmin Segal drew inspiration from Meena Kumari's Pakeezah for Heermandi 

In an interview, Sharmin said that she drew inspiration from Meena Kumari’s portayal in the 1972 film ‘Pakeezah’. The actor claimed that she was trying to evoke the same emotion that the veteran actor did in the film while portraying her character, Alamzeb. For those who are unaware, Sharmin Segal played the role of Alamzeb in ‘Heeramandi’. She portrayed the character of Mallikajaan's (Manisha Koirala) youngest daughter.

Speaking about the same to ET Times, Sharmin said that she ‘tried’ watching Pakeezah ’15-16 times’ but took a while to get through it as it was unlike any film she has seen before. She said, “Meena Kumari was one of my inspirations,” highlighting the ‘nothingness’ of her performance.

Sharmin Segal talks about trolls

Sharmin also opened up about the harsh responses after getting a lot of backlash for her "expressionless" acting in the historical drama series.

Sharmin Segal added, “People will say what they have to say. They have the right to do that. Being a creative person, you are putting yourself out there for people to perceive you, right? Then they will say what they have to say. And then I go back and think, how can I ignore so many people reaching out to me and giving me so much love? Giving Alamzeb and the show so much love.”

Bhansali's 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazar' was released on Netflix on May 1. The series also stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Richa Chadha, and Fardeen Khan, among others.