By- Chetan Mehrishi
We’re witnessing a new phase of Hindi Cinema where a new talented face being launched every other week. Bollywood has never seen such a huge wave of potential superstars up till now.
The latest entries in the draft are Sharmin Segal and Meezaan Jaffrey. With their debut Malaal, along with their raw performances, gathering praise and attention all over the industry, the pair have announced their arrival with a bang. Here’s a little sneak peek at the best new starlets of the year.
Background
Coming from families of talented individuals who have influenced the film industry for the better, stardom was apparently hereditary to both of them. Where Sharmin is born to the acclaimed editor Bela Segal which makes her niece of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Meezaan is Javed Jaffrey’s eldest son.
DKODING |Sharmin Segal
DKODING | Meezaan Jaffrey
Love for cinema and respect for the art form was inborn in the kids. However, neither of them ever dreamt of being in movies. Sharmin wanted to be a doctor while Meezaan wanted to pursue his career as a sportsman or a musician. But, fate, as they as, had different plans for the two.
Crossed Paths
It was high school when Sharmin found her true calling and started to do theatres and went to Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, New York to study acting. Meanwhile, Meezaan was also beginning to fancy the shimmering lights of the Tinseltown and went to School of Visual Arts, New York to pursue a course in filmmaking.
By this time Sharmin began assisting her uncle Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the sets of Mary Kom. The proud uncle was overwhelmed to see her little niece, who once cried on the sets of Devdas to sit on Aishwarya Rai’s lap, has grown up now.
It was during the shoot of Bajirao Mastani when fate would finally have the paths of these two future superstars crossed. Sharmin was an assistant director and called her former classmate to try out Ranvir Singh’s costume as the physicalities of the two were strikingly similar.
The star persona of Jaffrey got the attention of Bhansali’s Connoisseur eyes. He invited Meezaan on the sets to observe the functionalities of a film shoot.
While shooting for Padmavat when they needed a body double for Ranvir to shoot some scenes, Bhansali didn’t have to look further and chose Meezaan as Ranvir’s double. It was then that Bhansali decided to launch the boy as an actor.
Debut
5th July saw the release of Malaal which marked the debut of both Sharmin and Meezaan in Bollywood.
The performances of both the leads are being lauded by critics and audiences alike.
Where Sharmin has brought the flavour of subtlety and maturity in her role as Astha, Meezaan has brought to the table his raw and rugged masculinity which lent credibility to his character. The film opened to massive numbers cementing the pair as the best newcomers in Bollywood recent years.
Final Word
Sharmin and Meezaan are the next level of the new wave of superstars in Bollywood. Sure destiny had a little something to do with their career choices and even their births, but the audience’s love and respect cannot be inherited.
And the success of their first film is a testament to their immense talent rather their family ties. Star kids or not, the first and the last thing that’s going to help you survive in Bollywood is your ability. And these two have proven that they indeed possess a lot of it.
DKODING | Meezaan Jaffrey. DKODING | Meezaan Jaffrey.
The success of their first film is a testament to their immense talent rather their family ties. Star kids or not, the first and the last thing that’s going to help you survive in Bollywood is your ability.
These two have proven that they indeed possess a lot of it.