Richa Chadha celebrates one year of ‘Heeramandi’; calls playing Lajjo a dream fulfilled

As Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grand period drama Heeramandi marks its one-year anniversary this Thursday, Richa Chadha—who played the role of Lajjo—took to social media to share a heartfelt note of gratitude. The actress celebrated the milestone by thanking the cast, crew, and audiences who embraced the show.

“Thank you to everyone who worked on the show and everyone who watched it! Thank you @netflix_in, @monika__shergill, and @tanyabami for supporting @bhansaliproductions' vision. Love you, sir—you’re a dream. A memorable experience and an unforgettable spectacle of a show! Love you, dear co-stars, and congrats Moin Beg,” Richa wrote on Instagram. She also shared a few nostalgic clips from her time as Lajjo, a character that struck a chord with many.

Earlier in January, Richa had revealed a personal moment from her past—a page from her 2011 dream journal—where she had written about her goal of convincing Sanjay Leela Bhansali to cast her. That dream became a reality with Heeramandi.

In her first post of 2025, Richa reflected on her transformative year, sharing joyful moments with her husband, actor Ali Fazal, and their newborn daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal. She also celebrated another achievement: their debut production, Girls Will Be Girls.

“From playing Lajjo under Bhansali sir’s direction to welcoming our daughter and releasing our first film as producers—it’s been an extraordinary year,” she wrote.

Heeramandi explores the lives of tawaifs (courtesans) in Lahore’s Heera Mandi district during the Indian freedom struggle against British colonial rule. The series features an ensemble cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal Mehta, and Taha Shah Badussha—each delivering powerful performances in a rich historical backdrop.