While Sharmin Segal remains silent on the criticism she has faced for her role as Alamzeb in her uncle Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, she recently opened up about a challenging moment from her debut film Malaal.

In a 2019 interview with Radio City India, Sharmin recounted a particularly intense day on the Malaal set, where Bhansali, the producer, decided to make an unexpected visit. Normally absent from the set, Bhansali’s presence that day added pressure to an already nerve-wracking song sequence shoot.

Sharmin Segal Recounts Grueling Experience with Sanjay Leela Bhansali On ‘Malaal’ Set

“Wo ek shot mein meri jo vaat lagi hai. Main normally 15 takes deti thi. (I got screwed so much in that one shot. I usually gave 15 takes). I shouldn’t say that (smiles). Mujhe 25 takes lage hain uss din. Fir finally ho gaya. Poore din ka jo maine apne aap ko prepare kar ke rakha tha, wo ek hi shot mein chala gaya,” Sharmin revealed, describing the gruelling process that required 25 takes to perfect.

Reflecting on the day’s end, Sharmin shared how Bhansali’s feedback, though unexpected, was both a relief and a surprise. “Tabhi main gayi andar vanity mein, tab sir aaye andar aur bole, ‘Mujhe bahut mazza aa raha hai. Main ek aur shot ke liye rukne wala hu’ (When I got back to my vanity van, sir came and said, ‘I’m enjoying a lot. I’ll stay back for one more shot’).”

Sharmin Recalls Getting Frustrated Post-Trials

The tension did not end there. Returning to the set, Sharmin faced another challenging sequence. “Main gayi set pe. 30 takes, okay nahi hua. Uske baad main itni frustrate ho gayi. Unhone mujh par chillaya nahi. Kuchh nahi bola, other than ‘Tumhe ye karna hai.’ Aur main nahi kar payi. Aur main ro padi 30 takes ke baad (I went back on set. 30 takes, it wasn’t okayed. Then I got frustrated. He didn’t scream at me. He didn’t say anything except, ‘You have to do this.’ And I couldn’t do it. So I cried after 30 takes),” Sharmin added.

Also Read: Sharmin Segal Unveils ‘Heeramandi’ Behind-The-Scenes: Pizza, Sisterhood, And Fond Memories

Sharmin And Bhansali For Heeramandi

Despite the challenging start, Sharmin continued to work with Bhansali, who later directed her in Heeramandi. Bhansali, in an exclusive comment on their collaboration, said, “She kept saying, ‘Mama, I’ll underplay.’ I said, ‘Underplay? Are you thinking I’m going to ask you to overplay?'”

Sharmin’s perseverance and resilience in the face of high expectations highlight her dedication to her craft, a trait that continues to shape her career in the industry.