Heeramandi continues to be a talking point across media platforms and now more so with the announcement of a sequel to it. Sharmin Segal Mehta, who is also Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s niece, may have already broken her silence on the incessant trolling she has been subjected to for her performance in the show in a conversation with us but seems like the audience doesn’t want to let go as yet. Perhaps that’s why they have been raising their voice against the casting of Sharmin in Heeramandi 2.
Now, Sharmin tells News18 Showsha exclusively that she has managed to watch the show only once as constantly watching herself onscreen makes her self-critical. “I’ve watched Heeramandi just once because I don’t like over-watching my work. I only watch as much as required. You do get feedback and you need to reflect on everything that’s being said to you because as an actor, you don’t always get to go to the monitor and see what you’ve done,” she says.
Talking about how watching her own performances make her go red, Sharmin remarks, “It’s so different to watch your own work, Heeramandi in this case, because I tend to watch it from a certain perspective. You tend to get critical of yourself. I get so shy and giggly when I watch myself onscreen (laughs). My cheeks also turn red!”
The 28-year-old, who became the subject of a plethora of memes for her portrayal of Alamzeb in the series, further adds, “Whatever you’re putting out there is something that’s coming from within you. So, when you’re watching yourself again, you’re judging yourself in a way and looking at yourself from a certain lens and that makes me a little shy.”
Recalling how she experienced a similar feeling during the release of her debut film Malaal in 2019, she shares, “To have the ability to go and put yourself out there in front of so many people is a privilege. The first time I watched Malaal, I thought to myself that the screen is so big and that’s my face right up there (laughs)! The fact that I can reach out to so many people made me feel shy.”
Drawing a thread of commonality between herself and uncle when it comes to this, Sharmin states, “The one thing about Sanjay sir is that he’s always looking at bettering himself. If he watches Heeramandi today again, he’ll just say that he can do and could’ve done better. He would say the same about all his films. So, when I’m watching my films, I’m also constantly thinking about how I can better myself.”
So, the mantra for Sharmin is to move on and focus on what’s next. “It’s one thing to watch your own work in one go but after a point, it has already been given out to the audience. If you stay fixated on one thing, you tend to become over-critical of yourself. The response has been so overwhelming for Heeramandi that I haven’t thought of what I’ll do next. I’m just taking it as it comes,” she remarks.
