Sharmin Segal breaks silence on ‘out of context’ bullying allegations against Heeramandi co-star Sanjeeda Shaikh

Shaikh called Bhansali a “perfectionist” and Segal cut her off to say that that is “a very basic word to describe” him.

Sharmin Segal has faced a lot of mixed reactions ever since Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ released. The actress faced criticism for her performance and particularly for her ‘outsider’ comment about co-star Sanjeeda Shaikh who played Waheeda in ‘Heeramandi.’

Sharmin Segal has now responded to the viral clip and has asked people to not “use 10 second out of context clips to define the relationship I share with them.”

The actress was asked whether the ‘insider-outsider’ narrative was purposely created in the interview with Sanjeeda Shaikh.

“Again this is something I don't know. What I do know is that my interviews were being taken out of context and some of my co-stars have spoken graciously as to how these interviews were taken out of context. I share a very cordial equation with both Aditi and Sanjeeda. I wish that people would not use 10 second out of context clips to define the relationship I share with them,” she said.

During one of the many interviews that the cast of ‘Heeramandi’ did during their press run, one caught significant attention due to people accusing Segal of ‘bullying’ Shaikh.

Sharmin gives out such mean girl energy pic.twitter.com/b5P3hYs1bE

— Ash (@ashilikeit) May 24, 2024

Shaikh called Bhansali a “perfectionist” and Segal cut her off to say that that is “a very basic word to describe” him.

Shaikh, when asked about her experience about working with Bhansali, said, “He is just a perfectionist. He wants everything to look not mediocre because whatever he does is nothing less than excellence. He is respected all around the world for his brilliant creative mind and incisive honesty towards his craft. He will expect his artist to give that honesty on screen. So I enjoyed all sorts of roops of Mr. Bhansali.”

Segal interrupted Shaikh and said, "I think perfectionist is a very basic word to describe Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It’s the kind of a word that an outsider who has never worked with him, been on his set and seen the kind of director that he is will use that. He is much more than that. He adapts to change very well. He keeps challenging through different things. It is not about being perfect. He looks for rawness, magic, spontaneity. If he was only a perfectionist he would not treat spontaneity the way he does."