Was 'stretched out' of my comfort zone while working on 'Heeramandi': Richa Chadha

Richa Chadha, who will soon be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming web series ‘Heeramandi’, recently shared that she was ‘stretched out of her comfort zone’ while working on the project.

“Sanjay sir is a visionary, magician and storyteller. I have never felt so stretched out of my comfort zone as a performer. So many times, I go to a set and the director tells me, ‘Aap toh kar hi logi (For you, this is a cakewalk). You were so great in this and that film’,” said the actor.

However, she said that it’s not as easy as it looks because everyone keeps evolving.

“Honestly, I feel like saying that was 10 years ago that I am not the same person I was even one year ago. I have evolved and grown. I am a director’s actor. I love being pushed to my maximum potential. I like to be challenged till my throat is dry and I have nausea from nervousness. And hence, I loved working with Sanjay sir as he is so respectful of collaboration. He doesn’t suffer fools easily and has high standards,” Chadha shared.

‘Heeramandi’ is her second project with Bhansali, the first being ‘Goliyon Ki Rasleela - Ram Leela’, which has clocked for almost a decade.

“I’d rather work with a taskmaster who holds himself to a high standard than a director who coddles me but makes a shit film. Being associated with SLB and his project in any capacity is always an honour. And I feel lucky that I got that chance twice, the first one being ‘Goliyon Ki Rasleela - Ram Leela’. But ‘Heeramandi’ will always be a special place since it is one of many firsts. You will see,” she added.

‘Heeramandi’, set in pre-Independent India, is based on the life story of three generations of courtesans in the Heeramandi district.

The series also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Sehgal and Manisha Koirala and will release on ‘Netflix’.