Sharmin Segal has recently drawn the ire of netizens for what they perceive as her ‘expressionless’ acting in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s prestigious period drama, ‘Heeramandi.’ Following the backlash, videos featuring interviews with the cast have begun circulating online, putting Segal at the center of a heated online debate. The actor is now facing criticism for her comments and behavior towards her co-stars, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sanjeeda Sheikh, in these interviews.

Aditi Rao Hydari has been receiving praise from the public for her performance in the series. In a viral interview clip on social media, Segal can be heard referring to Aditi as a ‘school girl’ due to her punctuality. Segal remarks, “Aditi is like the model student. She adheres strictly to deadlines, just like a teacher’s pet. If the teacher says homework is due at a certain time, Aditi will ensure it’s submitted on the dot, not a word over the limit. That’s just who Aditi is. So, while everyone else might be running late, she’s always on time.”

Also Read: Real story of Heeramandi: Unveiling Lahore’s lost legacy of tawaif culture

Segal’s sarcastic remark about Hydari didn’t sit well with fans, who quickly took to the comments section to express their displeasure. Many pointed out that Hydari is senior to Segal and her punctuality reflects her professionalism as an actor.

Meanwhile, Segal’s behavior towards Sanjeeda Sheikh in two separate interviews has sparked massive backlash. During an interview with IMDB, when the cast was asked to share something about Bhansali that the public might not know, Sanjeeda humorously mentioned that she believes the director changes his kurta three to four times a day, with each change sparking a new idea. While Sheikh was speaking, Segal was visibly rolling her eyes and making faces, which drew the attention of netizens, who labeled her as ‘rude,’ ‘aggressive,’ and ‘disrespectful.’

The controversies didn’t end there. Sharmin Segal faced further criticism for interrupting Sheikh and seemingly ‘insulting’ her by labeling her an “outsider.”

During an interview with News18 Showsha, when Sanjeeda Sheikh was praising Bhansali’s pursuit of perfectionism and his excellence in his craft, Segal interjected, stating, “I believe calling him a perfectionist is too simplistic. It’s a term someone who hasn’t worked closely with him might use. He’s much more nuanced than that. He embraces change and seeks out rawness, magic, and spontaneity. If he were merely a perfectionist, he wouldn’t value spontaneity the way he does.”

Fans were not pleased with Segal’s treatment of her co-star, and the criticism against her continues to mount.

‘Heeramandi’ is currently streaming on Netflix and has been breaking viewership records since its release on May 1st.