Richa Chadha exclusive interview: ‘Lajjo is very different than what people expect of me’

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi is one of the most anticipated shows of the year. Actor Richa Chadha, who has previously worked with the director in the 2013 release Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram Leela, sat down with Hindustan Times to talk in detail about her experience working in Heeramandi. In the series, she plays Lajjo – a woman she describes as ‘lovelorn and hopeless.’ Quite a departure from the bold and outspoken characters Richa has portrayed over the years. She also shared how Rekha reacted to her performance after the screening. Excerpts. (Also read: Unseen pictures from Heeramandi premiere: Sanjay Leela Bhansali poses with Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Rekha)

Heeramandi looks spectacular – the sets, the costumes, your look! Tell us a little bit about the day you visited the set for the first time.

Yes! I went to the set for the first time when we were still talking about which character I would do. It took a long time for the set to be built. I think I was just overawed by… I think this was also his [Sanjay Leela Bhansali] biggest set. It was spread out over a big geographical area in Film City, and it is just beautiful. There were separate spaces- there was a kitchen, and my bedroom; each character had their rooms. I had a bathroom also. There was a hamam in someone else's bedroom. It had fountains, a choubara, an angaan, and balconies. There was also a performance room, a ballroom, and a café! There was just a whole street! He had built a city almost, with shops; selling everything from kites to perfume to dupattas. There was a dargah at the entrance of where we were supposed to shoot. It was just beautiful. It was a no-phone set otherwise I would have just gone through it and shot everything. It was just stunning- the level of detailing was just amazing.

There is a distinct mark in everything Sanjay Leela Bhansali does- where one knows from the first look that this is by him. Then there are these intricately designed song sequences. Of course, you have worked with him before in Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram Leela. Tell me a little about the bond that you share with him and the experience of working together in Heeramandi.

It was a pleasure to work with him. It is a pleasure to be directed by a person who ensures that when you start a project with him versus when you finish it, you are so challenged in your abilities that you come out on the other side quite transformed by the experience.

For me, I didn't know that I could do what I had done in the show. You know, that is also why I agreed to play this character. It is so different than what people expect of me but I just had a blast and I think he has got a very compassionate gaze and he is an aesthete. In the sense that nothing flies under his radar in terms of quality. Not the costume, not the music, not the dialogue, and certainly not the performance.

That is a real pleasure- to find someone as driven, motivated, and obsessed with his craft as he is. That's when you get to know him. The aim is that you should become a better actor after every project. But it does not always happen. In his case, I can confidently say that's the experience that most of us have had while working with him.

Tell me a little bit about your character Lajjo and how you prepare to reach the mindset of this character. Did Bhansali Sir give you any reference points- say for the diction, her body language… because it is an entirely different era?

It is! It is a different era and a different rhythm in how people speak. There is a certain lyrical, musical quality in how Lajjo spoke. The reference point given to me by him was Meena Kumari from Pakeezah. And hints of her own life and struggles. My character also has an addiction problem, she is kind of self-destructive, lovelorn, and hopeless. She has no agency (smiles). I had wanted to do a part like that after experimenting with roles where I am called outspoken, badass, and bold. I wanted to see how this exploration ends up. Also, to see how the audience responds. I don't know if I was successful, but there was spontaneous applause in the hall after two of my scenes so I was very grateful. It is a big deal for any actor to have validation like that.

I want to ask you especially about Sakal Ban, and how delightful it was to see you dance in that song. We have not seen you in this avatar before, what was it like in that set?

It is the entry song for my character Lajjo. It is when her character returns and sees this whole celebration and joins in. When the song shoot started, initially none of us were meant to dance in that. But with Bhansali sir it is quite spontaneous. The choreography was not very challenging. It was quite simple actually because the focus is on the mood and the basant, the blossoming of youth. I love dancing and I am trained in kathak but I have not had a film which could showcase that side of me. It is funny because who would see Bholi Punjaban break into a dance suddenly (laughs)? I am of the firm opinion that dancing for anyone adds rhythm to their performance. It teaches you more about rhythm and how to break into rhythm even while delivering a dialogue. That kind of what happened here and I just loved doing it. I hope I get to do more of it now.

Since you mention rhythm, it is quite a recurring point in what Bhansali's work. At every point, there is a rhythm. Nothing happens out of rhythm, there is a beat to his scenes, his dialogues…

That's because he is trained in music and trained in Odissi- which is one of the most difficult classical dance forms. What happens with that is you learn to listen to music differently. You learn to identify different musical instruments. For instance, the song Sakal Ban is so beautiful but it is hundreds of years old. At least four hundred to five hundred years old. Just by introducing one instrument in it- the drum that you hear is so inviting and just gives power to the whole thing. So yeah, I love working with him for that reason I think. Whenever I talk to a classical singer or dancer they are like, ‘Oh once in my life I want to work with Mr Bhansali because he gets it and he is such a culture connoisseur.’ That aspect also drives me to enjoy his company, and what he creates, a lot more.

The things he makes people do- for instance, the single-take song in Gangubai Kathiwadi with Alia [Bhatt] in garba. We've not seen Alia do anything like that before, where she gives her all to this one song. It is very challenging. You have to constantly act and dance in character. To take a folk form and do that is just amazing. I love working with him for these reasons and love that I could be a part of that journey more than once now.

There was a recent video from the screening of Heeramandi a few days ago where we saw Rekha kiss your baby bump and you looked overwhelmed with emotion. Tell me about her reaction to your performance and what was that interaction like.

(smiles) Man, it was the stuff of magic! I remember the screening ended and we just hugged and kind of wept because like I said my character is a tragic one. I could not control my tears and neither could see and to have appreciation from a legend like her gave me all the validation I needed.

At that point, we were just chatting and credit to whoever took that video because it is so raw and so beautiful. She embraced me and she kind of looked at me like where she could feel my baby bump as I was in my seventh month. She was like, ‘Oh my God, this is such a blessing. Can I?’ I was like, ‘What? Yeah!’ My God, for my offspring to be blessed by a legend! So generous, so sweet and so kind! The words of praise that she showered not just on me but on everyone! How special she is and how much regard she holds for Mr. Bhansali… how lovely she looks! For me, I don't think there can be another Rekha. There can't be anyone who balances both commercial and non-mainstream in such a beautiful way. We have all grown up seeing her in Umrao Jaan and Khoon Bhari Maang. It was just a blessing to have her in the hall. I was overwhelmed and a little bit speechless.

Congratulations also for Girls Will Be Girls, which is such a beautiful film.

Thank you! Have you seen it? You did! Oh my God! Thank you! I cannot wait for it to be released here so that more people can see it.

Heeramandi releases on Netflix on May 1.

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