During a recent appearance on Kapil Sharma’s Netflix show, the cast of ‘Heeramandi’ shared behind-the-scenes stories, and Richa Chadha amazed everyone with her account of giving the highest number of retakes for a scene in the series.
Renowned for his innovative filmmaking, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has garnered attention with his latest project, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.’
While the series has received mixed reviews, the exceptional performances by the cast have captivated audiences. Richa Chadha’s revelations during a segment on Kapil Sharma’s show were particularly noteworthy.
Richa Chadha revealed that she underwent almost 100 retakes for a scene in ‘Heeramandi.’ When asked by Kapil Sharma if working on a set directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali made them nervous, Manisha Koirala admitted to pre-scene jitters, a sentiment echoed by Chadha. Sonakshi Sinha shared that her highest number of retakes for a scene was 12, whereas Chadha’s staggering 99 takes left everyone astonished. She said,
‘I want to tell you I didn’t get any time to rehearse because we did different choreography and then on the shoot day he said, yeah, cancel karke ab tum yeh kar doh (yes cancel that and do this). And I had a very tough time. I think that was my toughest day of shooting ever in my life. Ma’am was there to give me a lot of confidence, but haan matlab practice ek taraf se is a good thing. You are in practice for a dance form and in that process, you have warmed up, and you can just do it. But that was very difficult because when you start practicing a certain way, it gets in your body. You hear the song then you’re like ‘yes, mainly he kya ye karna padta and then you know it was very challenging.”
In addition to her remarkable dedication to her craft, Richa Chadha’s involvement in the series has been marked by other noteworthy events. A viral video from a screening event showed Bhansali seemingly favoring his niece, Sharmin Segal, over Chadha, sparking controversy. Despite these challenges, Chadha has remained steadfast in her commitment to her role in ‘Heeramandi.’
Moreover, Chadha’s involvement in the series coincided with a significant personal milestone, as she shot for ‘Heeramandi’ just ten days before her wedding. This period also preceded her and Ali Fazal’s announcement of their impending parenthood, adding another layer of significance to her work on the series.
While ‘Heeramandi’ has faced criticism for its portrayal of brothels and courtesans, Chadha has responded to detractors with characteristic wit and grace. Her humorous exchange with a fan who criticized the show exemplifies her ability to navigate criticism with aplomb.
