Fardeen Khan, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal and Taha Shah Badussha recently appeared on the IMDb original series ‘Burning Questions’ to talk about Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, a series created by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Set in 1920 during India’s fight for independence, the show delves into the lives of courtesans, navigating their way through societal complexities. Together, the cast shared insights on their collaboration and provided interesting anecdotes about the series.
When asked what it was about Heeramandi and his character that made it a perfect role for his comeback, Khan replied, “To get an endorsement from Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali after, in my case, a gap of so long. It is an actor’s dream. But, having said that, the first person to sign me when I did come back was Mr. Sanjay Gupta. And I worked with two Sanjays. Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar was the second project that I shot for, but it just so happened that it is going to be my first release. Just to have the privilege and the opportunity to collaborate under a master craftsman was amazing.”
When asked about a lesser-known aspect of Bhansali’s process, Hydari shared, “His greatest loves are his four-legged babies.” Taha then revealed Bhansali’s favorite dog’s name, ‘Jaanu’. Fardeen added, “Whenever he used to get into a fluster or frustrated about something, the assistant directors would send these 25 dogs that Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has on the sets of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, and the minute they went on to set, he used to be calm.” Sanjeeda added, “There is one more thing. He changes his kurta 3-4 times a day. And after every change, there is this new thought in his mind.”
Regarding her inspiration for her character, Chadha explained, “Meena Kumari‘s poetry in her own voice. I would use that to pitch my own voice which is very different from hers. So, I tried to use a different on-screen voice for this one a little bit, and that demeanor, the way of talking. It is a more dated version of how we would speak.”
Watch the full video here: Heeramandi: The Most Challenging Scenes, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Process, Dance Sequences & More!
