‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a highly anticipated project that marks his debut on OTT platforms. After nearly 20 years of dreaming about this project, Bhansali finally brought it to life. Set in pre-independence India, the series explores the lives of courtesans in the Heeramandi neighborhood of Lahore, delving into themes of love, betrayal, politics, and survival.Known for his grand and visually stunning films, Bhansali’s transition to digital streaming has generated significant buzz.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Bhansali recounted being approached by Aditya Pancholi, who brought Moin Beg to his house and claimed that Beg had written something special that only Bhansali could make. Bhansali, however, dismissed the idea, saying there was nothing special about it. At that time, Bhansali had just completed Devdas and instead of moving forward with Heeramandi, he chose to make Black.
Bhansali recalled that whenever he announced a new film, Moin would call and ask, “You are not making Heeramandi? Now, you’ve started another film. Now, you’ve started Ram-Leela (2013)! Now, you’ve started Bajirao Mastani (2015)! And now, you’ve started Padmaavat (2018)!” Moin even threatened to take the script away and give it to David Dhawan.
Heeramandi was given the go-ahead by Netflix’s CEO, leading Bhansali to decide to make the project. The crucial meeting took place in Los Angeles before the release of Gangubai Kathiawadi and lasted only five minutes.
Expressing his perspective, the director elaborated that the script would resurface every 2-3 years. But he consistently believed that this was a substantial endeavor, requiring significant time – potentially 3, 4, or even 5 hours. Serendipitously, as the OTT format gained momentum and popularity, he started contemplating that this could be the perfect avenue for Heeramandi.
‘Heeramandi’ stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Richa Chadha, and Sharmin Segal in prominent roles. Additionally, Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman deliver compelling performances in key roles.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Bhansali recounted being approached by Aditya Pancholi, who brought Moin Beg to his house and claimed that Beg had written something special that only Bhansali could make. Bhansali, however, dismissed the idea, saying there was nothing special about it. At that time, Bhansali had just completed Devdas and instead of moving forward with Heeramandi, he chose to make Black.
Bhansali recalled that whenever he announced a new film, Moin would call and ask, “You are not making Heeramandi? Now, you’ve started another film. Now, you’ve started Ram-Leela (2013)! Now, you’ve started Bajirao Mastani (2015)! And now, you’ve started Padmaavat (2018)!” Moin even threatened to take the script away and give it to David Dhawan.
Heeramandi was given the go-ahead by Netflix’s CEO, leading Bhansali to decide to make the project. The crucial meeting took place in Los Angeles before the release of Gangubai Kathiawadi and lasted only five minutes.
Expressing his perspective, the director elaborated that the script would resurface every 2-3 years. But he consistently believed that this was a substantial endeavor, requiring significant time – potentially 3, 4, or even 5 hours. Serendipitously, as the OTT format gained momentum and popularity, he started contemplating that this could be the perfect avenue for Heeramandi.
‘Heeramandi’ stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Richa Chadha, and Sharmin Segal in prominent roles. Additionally, Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman deliver compelling performances in key roles.
