Actor Richa Chadha, on Tuesday, said that she has taken inspiration from actor Meena Kumari for her role as Lajjo in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi. Meena Kumari was known for her portrayal of a courtesan, Shahibjaan in the 1972 movie Pakeezah, which also starred Raaj Kumar.
Richa Chadha, who essays the role of Lajjo, shares that upon Bhansali's suggestion, Richa immersed herself in studying Kumari's character, drawing parallels between Sahibjaan and Lajjo.
"Carefully observing, learning from and taking lessons from Meena Kumari ji's character in 'Pakeezah' was a truly enriching and deeply transforming experience for me ahead of shooting for Heeramandi," Chadha says. "In the movie, Paakezah, Meena Kumari’s character has a certain tragic depth and complexity that resonated with Lajjo, the character that I play in the show. I worked on the voice and diction while studying Meena jis work, to the point of imitation sometimes. I felt like I was walking in the footsteps of a cinematic legend, and it was an honour to pay tribute to Meena Kumari ji through my portrayal of Lajjo."
According to a source, Richa's “Commitment to immersing herself in the nuances of her character is truly commendable. Drawing inspiration from Meena Kumari’s iconic performance has added layers of authenticity to Lajjo’s character.”
Heeramandi, which also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao, Hydari and Manisha Koirala among others, will be released on Netflix on May 1.
