Sanjay Leela Bhansali is renowned for extracting powerful performances from his actors, but his methods are often as intense as his storytelling. The newly married actress, Aditi Rao Hydari, recently opened up about the challenges of working on Bhansali’s magnum opus, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, revealing how the celebrated filmmaker pushed her to deliver her best, even if it meant skipping meals for an entire day.
When it comes to pushing boundaries for the sake of art, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is renowned for his rigorous demands, and Aditi Rao Hydari recently shed light on just how intense it can get. In a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actress recalled that there were times when she had to starve for a day to perfect her expressions in rousing scenes. Talking about her struggles doing the mujras in Heeramandi, Aditi shared:
“For me, it was my two mujras. I have grown up dancing since I was a little girl, but mujra was a very different form of dancing. I had learnt Bharatnatyam, but this was Kathak… through the eyes of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is a perfectionist max and also knows a lot. And it was about getting it right and not disappointing him. That really gave me sleepless nights.”
In the series, Aditi played the character of ‘Bibbojaan’, a dancer, singer, and secret freedom fighter. Talking about her role, the actress disclosed that delivering intense speeches was a particular challenge, given her naturally graceful demeanour. Seeing her struggle with the scenes, Bhansali came up with a unique tactic: he decided to keep her hungry to help tap into her raw emotions. Aditi recalled:
“The scenes where I had to give rousing speeches, Sanjay sir kept me starving for a day because these scenes don’t come naturally and I did it very happily because it truly helped me. I was really struggling and he was like, ‘She will now start a love scene. She has to do an intense scene which will look like a shringaar scene. So, go and don’t eat.’ I was very happy after doing it. I thanked him so much.”
This is not the first time that Aditi opened up about the gruelling preparations that went into perfecting each scene of Heeramandi. Earlier, in an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Aditi had recalled how, despite the hunger, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s detailed direction left a lasting impression on her. She shared in the interview:
“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.”
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is set in pre-independent India, and narrates the tale of courtesans, nawabs, and the British, exploring the interplay of power dynamics and human emotions. The series, which premiered on Netflix in May 2024, features a star-studded cast, including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, and Richa Chadha.
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