Actor Shekhar Suman, who will next be seen in the Netflix series Heeramandi, revealed in a recent interview with Instant Bollywood that he was the first choice for the role of  Chunnilal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 film Devdas, which was then ultimately played by Jackie Shroff. Expressing his gratitude tiwards the director for giving him a role in Heeramandi, Shekhar Suman said, “It’s my privilege that Sanjay Leela Bhansali gave me work. He selected me for a pivotal role in Heeramandi, I am doing that currently. Long ago, he had offered me the role of Chunnilal in Devdas but I couldn’t do that at that time. Then Jackie Shroff was cast in the role and it’s good that he did that role. But I had that regret in my life that I couldn’t work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali but my wish has been granted in Heeramandi.”

For the unversed, in the film Devdas, Jackie Shroff played the role of Chunnilal, who is a friend of Devdas played by Shah Rukh Khan.

Meanwhile, a few weeks back,  Adhyayan Suman, son of actor Shekhar Suman, announced in his new Instagram post that he has joined the cast of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi. He wrote in an extensive post, “It took me 15 years to feel validated as an actor! To be having to play not one but two primary characters Heeramandi is something I could only dream of! For me Mr Bhansali is no less than God, someone I never imagined I would be working with! The biggest filmmaker in the country a maverick beyond excellence! His praise for me is bigger than an Oscar.”

He posted a picture with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The post was followed by snippets of reports from his interview with Bombay Times and he added in his caption, “It was my mother’s dream! What a journey it has been! To be able to act, direct, sing, write, I can’t ask for more.”

The actor who has featured in mostly box office debacles so far, added, “Failure was my biggest teacher! My biggest strength. It made me fearless! Success for me is not just numbers but the fact that when the world said I was a failure I got back up and survived every blow each day! That’s why I always say when they say you can’t do is the moment you know you can do it! Don’t let the world put you down don’t let them decide who you are! Explore your talents and don’t be afraid of no one! Audience acceptance is key! I promise you this is just the beginning.”

Read the post here:

Heeramandi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, will release on streaming giant Netflix. Heeramandi boasts of an impressive ensemble cast that includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal and Sanjeeda Shaikh.

 “I couldnt work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali but my wish has been granted in Heeramandi,” said Shekhar Suman