The issue of body shaming was also discussed thoroughly where actor Sharmin Segal of Heeramandi by Sanjay Leela Bhansali shared her experience and how young girls and women often face pressure regarding their body expectations.
The Netflix series Alamzeb role played by Brad Segal, who is of foreign origin, married to Manisha Koirala’s film character Mallikajaan’s younger daughter, said she loves her body but is not completely satisfied with her looks sometimes.
She stated, ‘I feel bloated sometimes,’ and when she eats French fries for dinner, she gets bloated the next day,’ All they have got to know is that for women, it is a never-ending process to get used to one’s altered body shape.
The actor continued on about the essay regarding not needing to be proud of the outside appearances and that one should work and try to change the inside even if the changes cannot be seen on the outside.”
This is a measure of accepting the change one cannot control, remaining content with the self, and progressing towards making the best self to make one happy. It is not easy, like waking up at 5 in the morning to work out, and yet that may not reflect on our bodies. But that’s okay because one has to be content with putting in that effort, knowing it may not show.
The overall response to ‘Heeramandi’ was not very warm, while some even objected that Segal seemed ‘unemotional’ in her performance. She was an assistant director in films such as ‘Mary Kom ‘and ‘Bajirao Mastani ‘and is the niece of Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Since the second season of Heeramandi has been confirmed, the audience is leading Segal’s development and the change in her role in new episodes. The series one, two, and three of the show that explores the lives of courtesans in India before independence has received much attention and recognition.
