Veteran actress Farida Jalal is the latest cast member of "Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar" to step forward in defense of her co-star Sharmin Segal, who has been facing significant backlash for her perceived "expressionless" acting in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut web series. Released on Netflix in May, the series has attracted both acclaim and criticism, with Sharmin becoming a focal point for online trolls. Sharmin's portrayal has been met with a wave of trolling, but her colleagues are rallying to her defense.
Farida Jalal, who plays the character Qudsia Begum in the period drama, has voiced her support for Sharmin, joining the ranks of Richa Chadha, Taha Shah Badussha, and Aditi Rao Hydari. In a conversation with India Today, Farida expressed her discontent with the harsh criticism aimed at Sharmin, urging the public to show more compassion. "I know, I am not happy about this.
Be kind. What her capacity as an actor is, she has done her best. I don’t feel the character needs to be very boisterous and loud, the role was not like that," she remarked.
Farida further elaborated on the nature of Sharmin's character, underscoring that the role did not demand a loud or overly expressive performance. "What were you expecting? Yes, what you thought you needed..
. It’s ok, why should we be mean to the girl? Be kind, maybe that’s her capacity, just that much. I don’t think the real role was boisterous, it wasn’t.
She is a shayara, she falls in love with my bacchha (Taha Shah�.
