 "EXCLUSIVE Interview: Sharmin Segal on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s directorial & Netflix’s Heeramandi: ‘I learnt from Priyanka Chopra…’ | No more nepotism debate")
For Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s niece Sharmin Segal, playing Alamzeb was a complete different journey. She is a very different person as compared to Alamzeb. For Sharmin to get ready in those clothes was the toughest thing to do.
In an exclusive interview with Firstpost’s Lachmi Deb Roy for ‘Not Just Bollywood’ she talks about her preparation for the role in Bhansali’s _Heeramandi_ , OTT boom and more.
Edited excerpts from the interview
What was the preparation for the role like especially getting ready in those clothes as Alamzeb?
Getting ready in those clothes was the toughest because I am the kind of person who lives in her pajamas or maybe jeans and T-shirt because that is the person I am. But here is _Heeramandi_ , the character that I am playing as Alamzeb, her language is love. Her character is all about compassion, love and empathy.
Her character has a very large graph like it’s a very situational character. Her character wants to break out of Heeramandi. But for the rest, the single focus is on Heeramandi. Sanjay Leela Bhansali was very clear in the way he visualised all the characters, not just Alam. It is sometimes impossible to get into the mind of Sanjay Leela Bhansali whether you are an actor, or his assistant director. He actually thinks ten steps beyond his own thought process.
On working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali …
As an actor for Sanjay Leela Bhansali you have to give your all and be completely blank. In real life I am nothing like Alam as a person. There is something that Priyanka Chopra taught me: she has this switch from one character to another in Mary Kom or Bajirao Mastani where I was the assistant director. She taught me how to go in and out of character. It is an admirable talent that she has and if you can master that on and off switch you are in a very advantageous position. Hopefully I have done some justice throughout the process because to match up with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s expectation, that itself is a huge task.
Your views on the world of OTT and cinema changing
Both the worlds of all kinds of cinema have the potential to co-exist. But yes, there is a drastic shift in what the audience can relate to. Cinema was always viewed as an escapist medium, mainly to shy away from reality. I think OTT has done the shift in such a way that you are just sitting on your couch and you are watching something that you can relate to. For me OTT and cinema have the potential to thrive together.
WATCH the trailer of Heeramandi here:
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