Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus series has been in the news ever since it was announced. Now that the series has been released, the performances of the various cast members are being widely praised, especially Manisha Koirala who plays the character of Mallikajaan.
In a recent interview, Manisha revealed how veteran actress Rekha appreciated her for her performance in the series. Manisha revealed that Rekha called her up after the show was released and said, “Bachcha, I was praying if I couldn’t do the role, you get to do it. My prayers have come true. You have done it marvellously, you have gone through so much in life. You have added soul to the role.’ To get a blessing and praise from an artist of her calibre is something else. I had tears in my eyes, and I told her, ‘You are making me cry.’ She loves me a lot. Rekha ji was offered this role 18–20 years ago.”
Manisha further added, “Rekha ji is a goddess. I love her. She is the most graceful and poetic, and she is a great artist. Her voice, her dance, her adaa, her style, her aesthetics, she is a beautiful person. Ashok Mehta ji would say about her, ‘No actor can be compared to Rekha.’ ”
Heeramandi was released on OTT on May 1 and it also stars Richa Chadha, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Shaikh and Sharmin Saigal in pivotal roles.