Manisha Koirala was advised to observe Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders to master Mallikajaan's cold gaze in Heeramandi.
During an interview with Filmygyan, the 52-year-old actress discussed her process in preparing for the role of the enigmatic and distant Mallikajaan, the leader of the courtesan establishment.
The Dil Se actress shared her experience of seeking references and receiving advice to watch Cillian Murphy's Peaky Blinders, which proved beneficial in her portrayal.
Manisha mentioned that embodying the character of Mallikajaan was a challenging task.
She shared, “To bring in the realism, you can’t put the character in the box. So I had to figure and navigate it. I think even after doing a few scenes, I was still in the process of navigating.”
The actress went on to say, “I was asking his (Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s) very good assistant, ‘Mita, do you think there is some reference?’ She told me ‘Manisha, watch Peaky Blinders.’So I watched Peaky Blinders and picked a few things, especially the actor’s, the hero’s cold gaze."
"I said if I can get that it would be fabulous because personally I have never come across anyone like Mallikajaan," she added.
Heeramandi is streaming on Netflix from May 1, 2024.