Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-awaited OTT debut ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ was released on Netflix on May 1. In the series, which is set in against the tumultuous backdrop of the pre-Independence times, explores the cultural reality of Heeramandi, a district in Lahore, through the lives of its courtesans. In ‘Heeramandi’, Richa Chadha plays the character of Lajjo, a delusional tawaif in love with Adhyayan Suman’s Nawab Zulfikar.
Despite having a shorter screen time than the other cast members, including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal, Richa did manage to beautifully portray the yearning for love and the pathos of betrayal. In fact, Richa as Lajjo delivered an extraordinary Kathak sequence in ‘Heeramandi’, and the actress, who is a trained Kathak dancer herself, has managed to garner love from all corners.
When asked about how her references to be prepare for the role of a courtesan, Richa exclusively told Outlook India, “To be honest, I have also heard how men from good houses were sent to the tawaifs for them to learn culture, etiquette or the saleeka - how to sit, how to eat, how to enjoy music and poetry. So I always had the cultural backing. This is why Meena Kumar’s ‘Pakeezah’ was named so, because it means the pure one. No matter how maligned they are in society, they are also people who are responsible for the preservation of culture. I enjoy looking at history myself to do my preparation. If you read up a little bit about Umrao Jaan, Jiddan Bai, and how they held court – I recalled what they did for my role.”
Undoubtedly, Richa has come a long way in Indian cinema, from ‘Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1’, ‘Masaan’, ‘Fukrey’ to now being a Bhansali heroine in ‘Heeramandi’. Revealing why she decided to do SLB’s ‘Heeramandi’, Richa said, “I always try to have variety in my roles, be it Masaan or Fukrey to now Heeramandi. I have tried to play with accents and voices, and body language. I enjoy the process.”
She further praised the filmmaker and said, “To be able to co-create with someone who gives you the freedom to experiment and ask you questions and then take it ahead, that’s the real joy. To be able to work with someone like Sanjay Leela Bhansali is that. I would come up with ideas myself or he would tell me to try something different – can you do it like this, can you have tears in your eye, can your eyes be moist, can you use your trademark giggle or laughter to convey the pathos, all that really helped it. I picked up the role because it is so different from what I have done in the past.”
Last but not the least, Richa mentioned that she would like to continue to uphold Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s insistence on quality, and considers it to be her key takeaway from the project. “He sets very high standards for his work and upholds it as well,” she signed off.
‘Heeramandi’ also stars Taha Shah Badusha, Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, and Shekhar Suman, among others.
