Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is known for the portrayal of larger-than-life characters, sets and costumes on the big screens is making his OTT debut with Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The show has become the talk of the town since the time it was announced. The director and the cast of the show recently attended a special screening at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali reflects on Heeramandi's journey

Comedian and talk show host Lilly Singh hosted the grand event where she had the opportunity to have a Q&A round with the maverick filmmaker. When SLB was asked about the journey of the show, he said, that the story was too long for a film to be made out of it. He also revealed that he had the concept of Heeramandi 18 years ago but the project never saw the light all these years back then, there weren't any OTT platforms.

He said, "The script for Heeramandi was charming, vast, and epic. The story was too long for a film, and I had the concept 18 years ago, but there were no OTT platforms then. I finally saw an opportunity to do it properly on an OTT platform, where you can develop it and enjoy each character. This story has taken the longest—18 years of nurturing, cherishing, and living it.”

Cast of Heeramandi

The show, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar stars Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Manisha Koirala, and Sharmin Segal in the lead. The show will also feature Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman, among others.

What is the story of Heeramandi?

The narrative of Heeramandi is set against the backdrop of the Indian Independence movement during the British Raj. The show takes us to Lahore's red-light district of Heera Mandi and explores the lives of courtesans, known as tawaifs.

Heeramandi release date

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi will arrive on Netflix on May 1, 2024.

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