By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Jayati Bhatia, who played Phatto in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s "Heeramandi," has shed light on the filmmaker's affectionate and encouraging nature towards his actors. Despite popular misconceptions of Bhansali being perpetually hot tempered, Bhatia shared a different perspective based on her experiences on set.
In an interview with ABP Live, Bhatia revealed that Bhansali warmly greeted his actors every morning, often with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “He really loves his actors. People have just created this kind of impression… but when I would go and meet him in the morning, he would hug me, kiss me on my cheek,” she said.
Bhatia also disclosed that Bhansali has a unique way of recognizing outstanding performances. He would award Rs 500 to actors for delivering excellent shots, a recognition she received three times during the filming of "Heeramandi." “When you give a great shot, he gives Rs 500, and I got it three times. I got Rs 1500. When he finds the shot to be excellent, he won’t say okay. He would either say ‘Jeeyo Phatto’ or he will say ‘500 rupay’,” she shared with joy.
Although she hasn't framed the notes, Bhatia mentioned that she has kept them safely. Earlier, actor Indresh Malik, who portrayed Ustaadji in the series, recounted a similar experience. He recalled that after performing a poignant scene with Sonakshi Sinha’s character Fareedan, Bhansali was so impressed that he awarded him Rs 500 as well. He said, ‘Dekho, rota jaa raha hai, itna achaa toh kiya’ (Why are you crying, you did so well). Then he hugged me and gave me Rs 500 on the sets as a token of appreciation. I kept thinking about the character and that carried on for five minutes, Malik shared.
