Novel Delhi: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-awaited Heeramandi is simply a labor of love for the director. An idea he held closely for 14 years, which has finally come to fruition. But it also marks the film return of two actors, Fardeen Khan after 14 years and Adhyayan Suman after ten years.
Adhyayan plays a dual role, though he is revealed to be the flamboyant Nawab Zorawar. He reveals that when Sanjay Leela Bhansali called him, his first reaction was disbelief.
“I am grateful to Bhansali sir for giving me such a huge opportunity at this stage of my career, at a time when no one was ready to open doors for me. He handpicked me and gave me not one, but two key characters in the show. “I don’t know if I’ll have the opportunity to work with him, but it will be something I will treasure,” he said.
Heeramandi also stars his father Shekhar Suman in the lead role. Shekhar says it was a special moment for their family. “My wife always wanted father and son to work together. When we were both signed up, it was not father and son who left the house together, but two actors, a feeling we will always savor.”
Shekhar Suman admits that he never used his contacts or network to lend a hand his son Adhyayan get a job. “It’s his journey, the experiences he went through and what he ultimately achieved is completely his. The industry is an unforgiving place. You have to be marketable, and that determines your equity. But I’m glad they’re turning to talent now.
Adhyayan calls the set of ‘Heeramandi’ the best film school for an actor, recalls his co-star Richa Chadha’s empowering message. On the first day on set, she sent me a stunning message saying that I see you differently as a star, but I am very proud of you and your honesty and irate with myself for believing what others say about you.
Adhyayan, who made his debut in Haal-e Dil, also starred in the film Raaz alongside then girlfriend Kangana Ranaut and the hit Jashnn. The actor found himself in a arduous situation and claims that it was arduous for him to find a job. I had previously felt very lost and defeated, and the problem I soon realized was escaping the bubble we tend to create around ourselves and needing to understand who we are and where we stand. I realized that I was in a hole and that I had to find a way out. There was no work, no phones, and the job that was coming was not what I wanted. I started making music videos and tried to improve my skills.”
Set in the context of India’s freedom struggle, Heeramandi takes us back to a time when influential tawaifs (courtesans) exerting influence over nawabs were caught in power dynamics as the country went through a period of socio-political upheaval. It stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal in pivotal roles.
“It’s a female-centric narrative, and the men may seem random, but they’re very essential here. The energetic between the Tawaifs and Nawabs was intimate. The Nawabs were the catalyst for the politics and power games going on in the Koths. It is an ensemble cast and everyone has a different arc, but in terms of importance, everyone is essential,” says Shekhar Suman.
Heeramandi premieres on May 1 on Netflix.
