Snehil Dixit Mehra reveals Sanjay Leela Bhansali's prank on her: Main Heeramandi ki tawaif bante bante reh gayi

Snehil Dixit Mehra aka BC Aunty is an actor, writer, influencer and on Heeramandi, she also worked as an additional director to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Talk about her donning these different hats and she says, “I am a storyteller. I enjoy acting, but I believe I am a good writer. Accidentally, I became an influencer. But if I have to choose, I am a director first.”

Working with Bhansali was a dream come true for Mehra who says he would “keep you on your toes”. “His principle is simple, either get convinced by his creative vision, or convince him with yours. I was told by many people that he has temper issues and they even tried to scare me. But my experience was completely opposite. He is an amazing teacher and a perfectionist so committed to his work that he wants the same commitment from his team as well. And there’s nothing wrong with it,” she says, adding that the criticism for Heeramandi is actually because of people’s expectations with him. “His stature does act against him as he has made a name for himself at that level. In today’s time, negativity gets more traction. So, along with his stature, it’s also about the access that everyone has today,” she asserts.

Working as a writer and additional director, Mehra reveals there did come a moment where she got an offer to act in the show as well. However, there was a twist. “We were filming a scene where Bhansali sir joked that a line that needed to be said by a tawaif. would be said by me. I got very excited but then he revealed it was a prank. I also quipped later ‘Main Heeramandi ki tawaif bante bante reh gayi’,” she jokes.

Mehra shares that while it was a dream come true getting to direct scenes for the ambitious project, directing actor Manisha Koirala was “unnerving”. She says, “I was majorly starstruck seeing her. When I got the chance to direct her, I was so nervous. But she is such an amazing artist and never treated me like a first timer. One day, she had to leave early but my scene wasn’t getting over. I needed her to stay for an hour more. I went to her scared and she told me that she has already extended her time.”

While Koirala’s experience wowed her, Sharmin Segal’s enthusiasm also impressed Mehra, who feels the trolling she received for Heermandi was too much after a point. “We were prepared for nitpicking but I was hurt by the troll culture though. If you don’t like someone, critique their work, but when you troll them personally, it puts their morale down. Everybody on that set was giving their 100 percent, including Sharmin. She fulfilled the vision sir had for her. It’s unfortunate that people didn’t relate to it. But there is also a section who is loving her for not going overboard and just admire her voice. It’s just the negativity gets highlighted more,” she says, adding that even she has been subjected to trolling. “I was fat-shamed a lot initially. It used to hurt but I dealt with it by keeping myself busy. I couldn’t go to people and explain that I am a mother of one, and that’s why maybe I am overweight. But if seeing me, if even one overweight woman gets inspired, that’s a victory for me,” she ends.