Sonakshi Sinha Hints at Dahaad Sequel, Talks About 'Unreal Set' of Bhansali's Heeramandi | Exclusive

Actor Sonakshi Sinha is currently basking in the success of her last release, Dahaad. Her portrayal of a feisty cop in the show won her raving reviews and helped the audience see her in a whole new light. This, however, isn’t the first time that Sonakshi has been seen shouldering a woman-oriented story. Earlier, she had headlined Akira (2016), Noor (2017) and Khandaani Shafakhana (2019) but they could not create an impact in the same way that Dahaad did.

Up next, she will be seen in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, which is touted to be one of the biggest shows of Netflix India. The web show will revolve around themes of love and betrayal in the lives of courtesans in pre-independence India. Sonakshi will be seen playing a courtesan along with Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal and Sanjeeda Sheikh.

In an exclusive chat with News18, Sonakshi opens up on being directed by the ace storyteller, who has earned immense acclaim for envisioning courtesans in Devdas (2002) and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) in the most sensitive and surreal fashion. The 36-year-old reveals that the shoot Heeramandi is currently underway and tells us, “When you’ll be able to watch it is something you’ll have to ask Sanjay sir (laughs). But what I can tell you is that it has been such an amazing experience watching the genius in action, live in front of you, doing his magic.”

Sharing her excitement of being on a Bhansali set, she further adds, “It’s unreal. I’m so happy that I’m a part of this project. Sanjay sir is one of the directors who really brings out the best in all his actors and I’m truly privileged to be one of them right now.”

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In February this year, Netflix unveiled the first look of the actors in the show. Sonakshi’s regal and dramatic look in a gold saree grabbed the attention of many. Speaking about the love and appreciation that came her way for her look, she says, “The response to my look has been tremendous. It was a short, fleeting glimpse but people reacted to it in such a positive and wonderful way. It has been very overwhelming for me. The way Sanjay sir projects his heroines and characters is beautiful. Only he can do it.”

With Dahaad and now Heeramandi, is the focus now more on being a part of women-led narratives? “No no. I’ve two films up for release and there’s one I’m currently shooting for. As an actor, I want to do everything. OTT has opened up a whole new space for actors, makers and writers. It’s wonderful. I had signed Dahaad even before the pandemic had happened. I knew it was a long format show on OTT. I just wanted and still want to do good roles irrespective of the platform,” states the actor, who also has films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Kakuda and Nikita Roy And The Book Of Darkness in the pipeline.

Quiz her about a possibility of a sequel to Dahaad and Sonakshi says, “That’s a question I’ve been asking Reema (Kagti; filmmaker) and Zoya (Akhtar; filmmaker). I really want them to make a second season and even a third, a fourth and a fifth (laughs). But only they can answer this. I can’t wait to be Anjali Bhati again. My character changes her name to Anjali Meghwal towards the end of the show but I’ll miss being called ‘Bhati saab’.”