MUMBAI: Heeramandi was one of the most talked about and awaited web-films of the year and it was definitely worth the wait. The project featured Bollywood veterans giving the finest performances. While almost all characters were quite well written, one character that surely got noticed and loved is that of Saima, played by actress Shruti Sharma. Sharma is known for her notable performances in TV shows like Gathbandhan and Namak Issk Ka among others.
In a chat with Pinkvilla, Shruti opened up about signing the project, working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, love from fans, and more.
When asked about signing the mega project, Shruti Sharma said, "When I was auditioning on the sets, I wasn't aware that it is for a project by Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali. When I learned about it, I was jumping in my make-up room. It has been a dream for me to work with the legendary Sanjay Sir. I remember I was 12 and I gave my first stage performance on Dola Re Dola from Devdas from that day, I had huge respect for Sir's art and his vision and I dreamt and manifested working with him. I am ecstatic about the same."
She added, "When I was finalized for the project, I couldn't believe and I'd cried for two-three days as it didn't sink in that my dream was coming true. I was very new to the Bollywood world and I didn't have any leads to pursue the same and thus bagging a project of this caliber has been a blessing. Every moment on that set has been a learning experience and it was like being on a holy journey."
Talking about her interactions with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sharma said, "So, I was wrapping up a shoot in Bhopal and joined the team a little later. However, they were patiently waiting for me. When I first met Sir, he told me, 'You kept us waiting. Never mind, I want only you to play Saima', and that confidence motivated me. He was quite involved with almost every aspect; from dialogue delivery to body language and voice modulation, he would give feedback and inputs about everything."
Sharma continued, "He told me that I have a beautiful voice and with modulations, I can make the character sound better. He used to compliment me for my eyes as well. In every alternate day, he would tell me that my eyes are beautiful and expressive. I would feel overwhelmed and nervous, leaving him smiling."
Recalling a beautiful memory from the sets, Shruti revealed that Sanjay Leela Bhansali applauded her performance. She said, "The scene where Saima asks Mallikajaan to give some time to Iqbal to arrange money; the performance clicked in a single take and Sanjay sir gave an applause in front of the entire set. He stated that I got the emotions correctly and I was quite overwhelmed. I couldn't contain my happiness and the moment I went inside my make-up room, I was jumping and dancing. The feeling of receiving applause from him in front of the entire set is unexplainable."
Saima's character had loose ends and didn't get a proper closure. When asked about the same, Sharma said, "I have a lot of trust in Sanjay Sir as a director. Everything he does has a reason. There must be a reason why Saima was an open-ended character; in fact, other characters also had loose ends, like for example, Saima's partner Iqbal, who is also shown disappearing after learning about Saima. You never know if Sir has something in mind for these characters in the future.
The actress shared, "Honestly, I was away for a while and my fans were eagerly waiting for my comeback. They didn't have much idea about my stint in Heeramandi, because I didn't post about it or even speak to the media about this. It was a pleasant surprise for a lot of people and they were glad to see me on screen."
She added, "My DMs and comments section is filled with praises and positive comments and I am basking in the love that people are showering on me."
Sharma continued, "I've also received messages from my co-stars from my TV shows and they've said that I've made the TV fraternity proud, which makes me feel happy and grateful."
Heeramandi on Netflix also stars actors like Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, Jayati Bhatia, and Aditi Rao Hydari among others.
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Credits - Pinkvilla
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