Fardeen Khan is set to make a comeback after over a decade in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grand drama series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, where he will portray the character of Wali Mohammed.
The series has already garnered significant excitement from fans due to its lavish production. The cast, including Fardeen Khan, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha, and Taha Shah Badussha, recently participated in an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla. During the conversation, During the chat, Fardeen shared that back in the 2000s, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had once told him they couldn’t collaborate as he didn’t see the fire in his eyes.
Fardeen Khan sought work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in the 2000s
During an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, Fardeen Khan was pleasantly surprised when the interviewer told him that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had a small role written for him in Black. However, it couldn’t materialize for unknown reasons. In response, the actor expressed surprise, saying, “This is news to me. I don’t know what to say about this.”
He added, “You know I am going to narrate a story that I reminded Sanjay sir when I went to meet him for Wali Mohammed. I had gone to his office in the early 2000s to seek work, Obviously to get the opportunity to work with him. He met with me, we sat, we spoke for about 10-15 minutes. He said, ‘You know Fardeen I don’t think we can work because I don’t see that fire in your eyes.'”
The actor continued, “At that time of course it felt brutal and I told him this time that even if that sounded brutal at the time, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear, I needed to hear rather. I thanked him for it. He never told me about wanting to cast me in Black. I am hearing it for the first time. But just to have this chance to be able to work with master craftsman like him, I am extremely grateful for it. It’s been a wonderful learning experience. It has enriched me on many levels.”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:
About Heeramandi
Helmed by SLB, Heeramandi is the story of love and betrayal among courtesans in pre-independence India. The film stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Shaikh, and Sharmin Segal in the lead. Also, it features Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman in pivotal roles.
The series is about a power struggle between arch nemeses Mallikajaan and Fareedan for the succession of Heeramandi, a realm where courtesans reign as queens. Amidst this struggle, the story unfolds around Alam, Mallikajaan’s youngest daughter, who becomes the last hope for the future.
