Heeramandi actor Jayati Bhatia: Rekha ji said that she is my fan now
Jayati Bhatia played the role of Phatto in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
Actor Jayati Bhatia considers herself “blessed” that she got to be a part of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali universe, and being around the filmmaker was nothing but “pure happiness” for her.
The actor, who plays the character of Phatto in the web show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, tells us, “I’ve learned so much just by being on that set. I remember when I did theatre, I used to get butterflies and I’d be overwhelmed before going up on the stage, and I exactly felt the same rollercoaster ride while being in front of the camera during Heeramandi’s shoot,” says Bhatia, who has been getting immense praise for her portrayal.
Amid all the compliments that have come her way, Bhatia says hearing veteran actor Rekha praising her meant the world. “During the premiere, Rekha ji was talking to Sanjeeda (Shaikh; co-actor) and I was standing in the corner, completely starstruck since I had never seen her from such a close distance before that. Rekha ji then saw me, stopped her conversation midway and came up to me and said, ‘Lo, hum toh aapke fan ho gaye’. And then she gave me a hug and pecked my cheek,” gushes Bhatia, adding, “She also complimented me for getting an opportunity to work on my character the way I wanted. It was such a beautiful compliment to receive that I’ll forever be grateful for it.”
While Bhatia has received positive response for her performance, her co-star, Sharmin Segal continue to face backlash for the portrayal of Alamzeb. Stating that Bhansali got exactly what he was looking for in that character, Bhatia feels Sehgal is being unfairly targeted. “I think people are unnecessarily trolling Sharmin now by digging up old interviews that came out during the time of promotion of Heeramandi. She is a young girl, who doesn’t know how to sugar-coat her words, and she’s not willing to change her most authentic self. She’s neither trying to put down anyone nor make others think anything highly of her. She is a person with a pure heart and has nothing against anyone,” says the actor.
The 54-year-old has been in the entertainment industry for more than two decades, and has worked in all mediums, and plans to continue balancing that. “I never took a complete shift in mediums whether it’s TV, films or OTT. I’ve not given up on anything and no platform is small for me. I was shooting for Sasural Simar Ka 2 when I had signed for web shows Heeramandi, Girls Hostel and Dahaad. I was continuously working on television when I did all these OTT shows. If the actor is willing, they will make things work by hook or by crook. Also, I want to live a comfortable life, pay my bills, have sufficient funds for my medical check-ups, so I am happy to go good work on all mediums,” she states.
Mention about the typecasting that TV actors often face for being overexposed, Bhatia blames the preconceived notions in people’s minds. She elaborates, “I feel it’s the lack of mindfulness in casting directors, directors and actors who think that a person cannot work in different mediums at the same time. Some directors don’t present you the role because they’ve seen you playing similar roles, so they judge your capability.”
