The late Meena Kumari’s peerless performance in Bollywood classic Pakeezah (1972) has been a big influence on Richa Chadha’s portrayal of Lajjo, a courtesan in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, the actress said in a recent statement about her preparation for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series.
Advised by Bhansali to study Meena Kumari’s nuanced acting in the Kamal Amrohi directorial, Richa went on to carefully observe the yesteryear actress in her best-known role on the screen. “Carefully observing, learning from and taking lessons from Meena Kumari ji's character in Pakeezah was a truly enriching and deeply transforming experience for me ahead of shooting for Heeramandi,” Richa said.
“I worked on the voice and diction while studying Meena Kumari Ji’s work to the point of imitation sometimes. I felt like I was walking in the footsteps of a cinematic legend, and it was an honour to pay tribute to her through my portrayal of Lajjo,” she added.
Richa has also shared a video on social media, offering a glimpse of the trailer-launch event of Heermandi at New Delhi’s Chanakya cinema hall on April 9.
“I am excited for my outing here as Lajjo because not many people have seen me like this, I haven't done much else like this even in terms of skill set,” the 37-year-old actress wrote alongside the video shared on Monday. “I loved this collaboration with SLB. The universe is something only he can create,” she added.
The video kicks off with glimpses of the venue before the promotional event took place. Regal outfits worn by the actresses in the series were showcased along with a royal sofa and character posters. “I used to come watch movies here at Chanakya. It’s funny to be back here to promote the series,” Richa says in the video while a makeup artist adds finishing touches to her face.
The actress looked gorgeous in a green-and-pink salwar suit. Danglers and a pearl passa complemented her ensemble, which is reminiscent of her look in the series. With her co-star Sanjeeda Sheikh on stage, she enacted a line from the trailer, drawing loud cheers from the audience.
Marking Bhansali’s OTT debut, Heeramdi: The Diamond Bazaar will follow the stories of love, passion, freedom and betrayal experienced by courtesans in Lahore’s oldest red-light district. Set against the backdrop of British-ruled India, the trailer revealed how the courtesans — played by Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal and Sanjeeda Shaikh — found themselves entangled in a constant power struggle with anti-colonial movements on the rise.
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is slated to premiere on Netflix on May 1.
