Richa learning Kathak for her role in Bhansali's 'Heeramandi'

MUMBAI: Actress Richa Chadha has reunited with her old love, and it's not a person. Richa formally trained in the classical dance form of Kathak as a child but was forced to stop it due to her board exams. As now her role in maestro Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi demands Kathak training, the actress started preparing for the same.

"I trained in Kathak as a kid under Pt Abhay Shankar Mishra for ten years as a child. Then life happened and my love for dance got left behind.

I was afraid I lost my touch as like any art form, it depends on practice.But it kind of felt like swimming and I think I can float without a lifejacket. I think dance has the potential to make a person more connected, grounded, confident and definitely happier.

Movement is medicine. This year I hope to complete my degree in the dance form, under the aegis of my guru Pt. Rajendra Chaturvedi," Richa shared.

Speaking of 'Heeramandi', it will explore stories of courtesans and the hidden cultural reality of Heeramandi, a dazzling district, during pre-independent India.

Basically, it is a series about love, betrayal, succession, and politics in the kothas which promises SLB's trademark larger-than-life sets, multi-faceted characters and soulful compositions.

"Heeramandi' is an important milestone in my journey as a filmmaker. This is an epic, first of its kind series based on the courtesans of Lahore. It is an ambitious, grand and all-encompassing series; therefore I am nervous yet excited about making it.

I am looking forward to my partnership with Netflix and bringing Heeramandi to audiences all over the world," Bhansali, who has entertained us with his films 'Devdas', 'Black', 'Bajirao Mastani', 'Guzaarish' and 'Ram Leela' among others, said.