Sharmin Segal has been at the receiving end of relentless trolling for her “expressionless” performance in ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ where she plays an aspiring poet torn between love and responsibility. While some have criticised her for ‘holding the same expression’ throughout, a section of the internet felt that ‘nepotism got her this role’. The hate she received got so personal that Sharmin briefly disabled the comments section under her post featuring a photo of herself with uncle Sanjay Leela Bhansali at the Los Angeles premiere of Heeramandi.
Many of her co-stars from the show came to her support. Talking to News18, Adhyayan Suman, who plays a nawab in the historical drama series, hints that his empathy stands with her as at one point, he too had received immense criticism and scrutiny for his career not taking off and delivering box office duds.
He said: “It shakes your confidence. It also depends on how you’re as a person and how you handle these things. No matter how thick-skinned you pretend to be, it still affects you somewhere. Like, I shouldn’t be talking about the two haters who questioned my screen time out of the 20,000 positive messages I got and yet I feel the urge to discuss those two. You do want to give some kind of a clarification because it does hurt you somewhere.”
Talking about the negativity Sharmin has been subjected to on the internet, he continued: “In case of Sharmin, I don’t know how much backlash she’s facing because I’ve only heard good things about her. I honestly don’t know of the personal attacks they’re making at her. But a lot of star kids face this.”
On being informed that comments are also been made on her looks and features, Adhyayan added: “It’s very unfair. As a viewer, one has the right to discuss an actor’s performance. But if they go beyond that and make personal attacks, it shakes you. Not everyone can fight their way out of it. I don’t want to boast about myself but not everyone who has seen a lull for 13 years in a career spanning 15 years can come fighting out of it. It’s not easy. Some people might want to give up and not pursue their careers. And that’s why it’s not fair.”
The performances from all the actors in Heeramandi were exceptional. The royalty and regal-ness of Bhansali’s projects have always had me glued to my seat.