Starring Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Richa Chadha, and Sanjeeda Shaikh in leading roles, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s OTT debut series Heeramandi started streaming on Netflix from May 1. The show has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Some of them have showered praises on its grandeur and cinematography, while others have slammed it for its tedious screenplay and dull performances, with a major criticism towards Sharmin Segal’s acting.

Sharmin Segal, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s niece and daughter of his sister and editor Bela Segal, plays Alamzeb in Heeramandi. She has been receiving a lot of flak for her performance and has been trolled on social media ever since the show came out. With comments such as “You single handedly ruined Heeramandi”, and “You murdered the character! It was literally torture watching Alamzeb”, the actress is being blamed for the show’s poor response. Amid all this negativity, Sharmin has disabled her comments section on Instagram.

The actress made her Bollywood debut in 2019 romantic drama Malaal, which was produced by her uncle Sanjay Leela Bhansali and also marked the debut of Jaaved Jaaferi’s son Meezaan Jafri. A remake of the 2004 Tamil-Telugu bilingual film 7G Rainbow Colony, Malaal bombed at the box office with the collections of just Rs 2.5 crore. Sharmin has also assisted Bhansali in his films Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani, and Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Coming back to Heeramandi, the Netflix show is a fictional tale based around the lives of tawaifs in Lahore’s red-light area of Heeramandi in pre-independent India. It also stars Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman, Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, and Taha Shah Badussha in supporting roles.

READ | Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor refused this Sanjay Leela Bhansali film; it won four National Awards

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