Shekhar Suman defends Heeramandi co-star Sharmin Segal: ‘ Criticism can destroy her’

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's niece, Sharmin Segal, faced criticism for her performance in Heeramandi. The show also features Shekhar Suman as Nawab Zulfikar.

Shekhar Suman is receiving praise for his acting skills in Heeramandi. It is currently the most watched Indian show globally. However, Sharmin Segal came under the radar of online trolls who criticised her performance in the series. Shekhar, in an interview with ETimes defended Sharmin and said that the critics have been too harsh on her. (Also read: Taha Shah says Heermandi co-star Sharmin Segal has ‘tried her best’, can't compare her to Manisha Koirala)

Shekhar Suman has defended Sharmin Segal.

Shekhar Suman backs Sharmin amid trolling

Shekhar while speaking about Sharmin opined, “I don't think that Bhansali sahab did not take this into his cognizance that it can have an adverse effect. She just happens to be his niece, and has done movies earlier. What has happened is that the world has been too harsh on the poor little thing. She's a young girl and the criticism can destroy her. People can go a little easy instead of calling her names where she was forced to disable her comments. She said she auditioned 16 times for Heeramandi, so let's be fair to him, that he cast her.”

About Heeramandi

Heeramandi is based on the red-light area of Heera Mandi in Lahore (now in present day Pakistan) during the pre-partition era. The epic-series depicts the life of courtesans of Heeramandi and their relationships with Nawabs in the 1920s-40s. The story is set in the backdrop of India's independence revolution against the British colonialism. Apart from Shekhar and Sharmin, Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Farida Jalal, Adhyayan Suman, Shruti Sharma, Pratibha Ranta and Fardeen Khan also play crucial characters in the show.

About Sharmin Segal

Sharmin has assisted Sanjay in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013), Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). She was also an assitant director in Priyanka Chopra starrer sports-biopic Mary Kom. Sharmin made her Bollywood debut with the romantic-drama Malaal opposite Meezaan Jafri.

Heeramandi is currently streaming on Netflix.