“14 years of planning, 18 years of passion”: Bhansali on ‘Heeramandi’

Celebrated director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made a monumental entry into the streaming universe with his latest project, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.’

This series, a realization of Bhansali’s longstanding vision, explores the rich narratives of courtesans and their patrons, encapsulating themes of love, power, revenge, and freedom.

Reflecting on his inspiration and the extensive process behind ‘Heeramandi,’ Bhansali shared, “I wanted to make it 18 years ago. Then I thought there was another film to be made, then another film to be made. But this was always on my list of wanting to have to make it one day. After every film, Heeramandi would come out, and I would say once again, wait, it’s too vast. It’s too epic – too much of an epic to be made into two or two and a half hours. Then we thought we’d make it into two parts.”

He further elaborated on the challenges and his fulfillment in creating the series, “It’s difficult to make a series, but we’ve made it, and I have enjoyed it. I’m glad and thankful to God that we made it. 14 years of planning, 18 years of living with it, and two years of designing, so it’s a lot of work that has gone into it.”

The star-studded cast includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman, each bringing depth and complexity to the historical setting of Heeramandi.

‘Heeramandi’ is now available for streaming on Netflix, offering viewers a glimpse into a lavishly crafted world of historical intrigue and drama.