Sonakshi Sinha exclusive interview 'The entire set broke into standing ovation after the first take in Tilasmi Bahein'

Sonakshi Sinha is ready to take on strong female protagonists and surprise her audience with each new role.

The actor plays Fareedan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi - The Diamond Bazaar. It marks the first collaboration of her with Bhansali, whom she calls the 'most elaborate filmmaker of our times. In this exclusive chat with Hindustan Times, Sonakshi sat down to talk about playing Fareedan in the highly anticipated series, creating that single-shot sequence in the song Tilasmi Bahein, and more. Excerpts. Your character Fareedan in Heeramandi has this fierce, unapologetic look. Tell me a little bit about how you created this character in collaboration with Bhansali. This is a character I have been waiting to do for a very long time. I have always wanted to play a slightly negative, slightly villainous character, and I am really thankful to Sanjay sir that he saw me in this role. I don't know how or why, but I guess that's just his trust in me as an actor that I will be able to pull it off. It is really encouraging for an actor when a filmmaker like him imagines you and tries to portray you in a way that nobody has ever seen you before. So I am so grateful. It has been one of my most favourite characters that I have portrayed on screen.Just to get into how Fareedan was, she is poles apart from me. She is full of vengeance and hatred and anger and all the negative feelings. The beauty about Sanjay sir and the way he portrays his women is that he makes them so relatable.. he justifies their feelings. Once everyone sees the series, they will understand why Fareedan is the way she is. What she has been through... why she acts out in this way. I really had a blast playing her. The costumes, the jewellery, everything is so well taken care of... The eyes are of my own! I got it from my mumma! (laughs) It all just came together to make one beautiful character on screen and I really enjoyed playing her.