Heeramandi: Jason Shah BREAKS Silence On Rape Scene With Manisha Koirala, 'Didn't Find It Too Emotional'

Actor Jason Shah recently shared his experience working on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut streaming series, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.’ Jason discussed the intense rape scene involving him, Manisha Koirala, and several other actors. He also mentioned that he did not perceive his character, Alastair Cartwright, as queer.

During an interview with ETimes, Jason Shah talked about the rape scene, stating that he didn’t find it particularly draining or emotional. He explained that he viewed his role as overseeing rather than directly participating in the assault on Koirala’s character, Mallikajaan. He stated, “I didn’t find it too emotional for me because, at that moment, I felt like I wasn’t raping her, I felt I was letting my guys do it.” He also added that this perspective made it easier for him to perform the scene.

Jason Shah was also seen getting intimate with Ustadji, played by Indresh Malik in one of the episodes. Jason admitted that he was hesitant before shooting the scene but added that he had full confidence in Bhansali and was sure that the director would not portray it cheaply.

“Obviously there was, because this isn’t something I’ve done before. To be so close to another man, you will face… hesitation is the perfect word. I wasn’t hesitating to say yes to the show, and I felt comfortable because I was working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, so I knew aesthetically, it wouldn’t be portrayed in a way that would seem cheap. I knew that his standard would be met. I was definitely nervous coming up to that day. They told me in the night that tomorrow would be that scene,” he told Filmibeat OTT.

Released on May 1, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s OTT debut. The show premiered on Netflix also also stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal Mehta, Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman in key roles. It explores the various aspects of a woman’s trials and tribulations.

News18 gave Showsha 4.5 stars and wrote, “Bhansali pens a near-perfect screenplay, and it is this rich writing that already forms an impressive foundation for the show. Each character is written with a lot of courage, empathy, and sensitivity. Here, each female character is so well-fleshed out, including those in the periphery, that they all deserve a spin-off of their own.”