Aditi Rao Hydari played an important role as Bibbojaan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi. This Netflix series has an all women cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal. The series is receiving much appreciation from certain sections of the audience and also facing criticism for its glorification of tawaif culture and glamorization of women’s sufferings. In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, Aditi opened up about Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Aditi Rao Hydari About Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Heeramandi:
Aditi said that Bhansali wanted a particular emotion from her and refrained from eating her lunch while everyone else were given a lunch break. She said “One day, we did two or three takes, and then he just called me very sweetly and started speaking to me. I immediately got transported to another world. He speaks very beautifully and sincerely, so it’s very passionate, and I had tears in my eyes. And then he said we are going to shoot this scene and gave everybody a lunch break but said “But, you will not eat, Is that okay?” I was like, ‘Done’, So, I didn’t eat, and it really helped me. It kept me one edge and not soft. I went back to my van and just thought about everything he said. He basically told me a story. I came back, and we shot it, and it was okayed”.
The actress further revealed that Bhansali used to tease her for not being able to emote anger. “He used to say, ‘If I say an angry scene, she’ll do one love scene with full Shringar bhav’. and he’s right. For me, to be angry is the most tiring thing, especially the very outward anger. And I have to be this passionate, rousing girl(here) . I have to make all these people believe in what I’m saying.”- Hydari said.
Aditi Rao Hydari also added “That happened during the shooting of my first mujra. We started our shoot with Hath Hojao, which was the first mujra I did. I had also just recovered from Covid at that time. By the end of the first day….the costume was so heavy and my brain was not taking it anymore. I could see what he was telling me, I could understand it, but the firing wasn’t happening. But, trust me, what he was saying made complete sense. I was so disappointed in myself because I knew he didn’t get what he wanted. But, just before we wrapped, we got it. My thing here was that he believed so much in us so I never wanted to see him disappointed”.
Heeramandi is web series Directed, Written and Produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It is made in the backdrop of the Indian Independence Movement against British rule in 1920-1940s. It is made with a huge budget of ₹200 crore and released on Netflix on 1st May 2024.