In February this year, Netflix India unveiled the first look of the web series Heeramandi, by filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and it left everyone impressed. The teaser gave a glimpse of the actors Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Sehgal, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Sonakshi Sinha, and just the glimpse of the beautiful world of Heeramandi was enough to pique everyone’s curiosity about the series. Now, in an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Richa Chadha opened up about her experience working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in the series. Find out what she said!
Richa Chadha on working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Heeramandi
While speaking with Pinkvilla, Richa Chadha said, “For Heeramandi, I had a really tough time because the thing with Sanjay Leela Bhansali is you cannot lie. Wo aapki annkhon mein jhooth pakad lete hain. He is a master. So he will know ki ‘kar diya, achha hai, technically theek hai. Par dil se nahi aaya. Mujhe aise aana chahiye.’” She further said that at such a time, the actor has to give it their all, ‘concentrate all your energy and just explode in the shot’. Richa said, “And that’s why I love working with him because he pushes me. And it’s terrifying. Sometimes I’m wearing the mic under the dress. Sound wala aake bolega awaaz aa rahi hai. I’m like ‘it’s my heartbeat. What to do. I have to do a tough shot, it’s my heartbeat. Main dar rahi hu, isliye dhak dhak ho raha hai.’ But yeah, I love working with people who push me in that manner.”
Before Heeramandi, Richa Chadha worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. When asked if the filmmaker is really eccentric on set, and very particular about shooting scenes, Richa Chadha said, “If I was in his shoes, I’d probably be doing what he is doing. Because there’s so much money riding on it.” She said that Sanjay Leela Bhansali will not let actors do anything halfway. “He will want that 75 to 100 percent. And he will understand that every day is not 100 percent. But he will tell you ye 75 hai, main iss take ka 75, us take ka 90 leke tera 85 tak pohocha dunga. But aap us orientation se nahi aa sakte ‘I have a headache,’ or ‘main aaj nahi kar paungi’. Wo sab nahi chalta hai,” said Richa.
