Sharmin Segal is making waves in the entertainment world after playing the role of Alamzeb in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. This Netflix show marks the OTT debut of director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is Sharmin's uncle. Contrary to popular belief, Sharmin did not assist her uncle in Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. In a recent chat with News18 Showsha, Sharmin revealed that she chose to work as an assistant director for Mary Kom because she didn't feel she deserved the opportunity to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali at that time. She explained, “I could've worked in Ram-Leela but I felt like I didn't deserve that chance of assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali at that point. I was completely new and I knew nothing about filmmaking. So, I thought of hanging around in the back on the sets of Mary Kom and see what I can pick up, understand and take away and then maybe I could go to assist Sanjay, sir, with something.”
Released in 2014, Mary Kom, with Priyanka Chopra in the lead, is a biographical drama directed by Omung Kumar. The film was collectively backed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Viacom18 Motion Pictures.
Sharmin Segal also opened up about assisting her uncle Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the first time on Bajirao Mastani. She shared, “The first film I assisted him on was Bajirao Mastani but the first film I ever assisted was on Mary Kom. And while I was working on Mary Kom, he was shooting for Ram-Leela. I basically told him that I would want to work in films but I know nothing about them. Mary Kom was my first job and I received my first salary while working on it. It was Rs 7,500.”
Explaining how working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a “privilege”, Sharmin Segal added, “I couldn't be waking up one day and just saying that I want to assist Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I recognised that it was a privilege to do it. And from Mary Kom to Heeramandi, what a journey it has been!”
In Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Sharmin Segal shared screen space with Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Shaikh, and Richa Chadha.