Richa Chadha Opens Up On Trolls Bashing Heeramandi Co-Star Sharmin Segal: 'It Is Audience's Right'

Richa Chadha has opened up about Sharmin Segal facing backlash over her performance in the recently released, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Sharmin, who is also Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s niece, played the role of Alamzeb in the web series.

Richa Chadha was speaking to Pinkvilla recently when she reacted to trolls criticising Sharmin’s acting skills. “I think truthfully, it is the audience’s right. It’s the audience’s prerogative that you like the show, you dislike the show. You like a performance, you dislike a performance,” she said.

“But what happens today, I think in the era of social media, when people start trolling, making memes, doing all that, that’s a bit hurtful, I think, for anyone. We must never be unkind because it can happen to you tomorrow. And everyone is a human being,” she added.

Earlier today, Sharmin’s co-star Taha Shah also opened up about the negativity she has been facing and defended her. He was speaking to Zoom when he said, “Sharmin has only done two films, and her method involves keeping it subtle.” The actor further praised Sharmin and shared that she “has got a great heart”.

“Having worked with her, I know she’s given her best as an actor. I didn’t anticipate receiving this much love and appreciation for my role, hence the audience can be quite unpredictable to be honest. As far as Sharmin and her performance are concerned, I’ve literally lived with her on the sets. She was always punctual and tried to do her best. How it comes off to the audience, is a different ball game and I can’t comment on them. But I know that she has got a great heart. She was always present on the set and as an actor, that’s what you all need,” Taha, who played the role of Sharmin’s lover in Heeramandi, added.

Taha Shah further explained that it is not right for the audience to compare Sharmin to her co-stars like Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari or Sonakshi Sinha because they have much more experience than her. “Manisha ma’am has worked with the best of the best directors and best of the best actors. People learn over time. If the audience has found fault in Sharmin, she will do even better. I know she wants to and is eager to learn,” he said.

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut web series. It explores the various aspects of a woman’s trials and tribulations. The show is currently streaming on Netflix.