SLB opens up about niece Sharmin Segal's performance in 'Heeramandi'
Acclaimed filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali recently shared his thoughts on the performance of his niece, Sharmin Segal, in his latest release, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Segal, who previously assisted Bhansali on several of his directorials, made her acting debut with his 2019 production Malaal. In Heeramandi, she portrayed Alamzeb, a character aspiring for a life beyond the courtesan's fate. However, audiences criticized her performance as being expressionless.
Segal told Bhansali she will 'underplay' her role
Without directly addressing the criticism, Bhansali revealed his interactions with Segal on set to Hindustan Times. He shared a conversation where Segal expressed her intention to underplay her role, to which he responded, "Underplay? Are you thinking I'm going to ask you to overplay?" The filmmaker also acknowledged her "new energy" and appreciated the love he saw in the eyes of this new generation of actors.
Here's what Segal's co-star had to say about her performance
Sharmin's co-star Jason Shah, who portrayed the villain Cartwright in Heeramandi, commented on her performance. "I thought, personally, there should have been a higher escalation of emotion in different places," he told Entertainment Live. However, he added, "Maybe that was the one tone that (the makers) were looking for from this character." Additionally, the show's casting director Shruti Mahajan defended Segal's performance stating that many people appreciated her fresh look and acting.
