Heeramandi actor Jason Shah opens up about shooting sexual abuse scene with Manisha Koirala, says he knocked her nose ring off: ‘It got that close’

Actor Jason Shah played the villainous British cop Alistair Cartwright in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. In the Netflix series, Jason’s character clashes with Manisha Koirala’s Mallikajaan. Their rivalry reaches a disturbing climax in a brutal scene of sexual and physical assault. In a recent conversation, Jason shared the behind-the-scenes intricacies of shooting this delicate scene. He talked about how he had to be measured and precise, especially when slapping Mallikajaan.

Speaking about the scene, Jason told Filmibeat OTT, “I was hesitant. The fighter master wanted me slap her in a more realistic manner but I was very careful, I was watching my actions. I even flicked her nose ring off in one scene, it got that close. That’s what I was telling the fight master that if we are not in coordination, I might end up hurting her, and obviously, she is an older woman, so it is my responsibility and I had to take care.”

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Manisha, who previously collaborated with Bhansali on his directorial debut Khamoshi: The Musical, reunited with him after 28 years for Heeramandi. Reflecting on this reunion in an interview with indianexpress.com, she said, “We all have tried to do our best because we working with a master. To be working with Sanjay 25 years after his first film, Khamoshi, it can’t get better than that. It’s been a humongous journey, I’ve seen him grow as an artist, as a maestro, as a genius, he is India’s best, he is greatest filmmakers in India. We are lucky to be working, sweating and trying to perfect our act. We are dying to show it to everybody.”

While Heeramandi has garnered significant viewership in its first week, surpassing several recent international titles on the streaming platform, it has also faced criticism for its portrayal of courtesans and brothels, with some accusing it of romanticising these aspects.