Sanjay Leela Bhansali is about to set foot on the digital platform, as he welcomes the audience into a dazzling world where love and salvation collide through the first look of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
Bhansali began his career with Khamoshi: The Musical in 1996, but it was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam that kickstarted his directing journey. He has proved his artistry of gripping storytelling and aesthetic cinematography through movies like Devdas, Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Gangubai Kathiawadi.
Time and again, he has delivered masterpieces that changed the trajectory of Bollywood through a mesmerizing portrayal of passion and deception. The allure of ornate sets, majestic costumes, and enchanting music creates a visual extravaganza for the audience that has always been Bhansali’s signature style.
First look at Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s enthralling saga
On Thursday, Netflix dropped the first look of the exquisite cinematic experience that is, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar that is going to be a period drama series set in pre-independent India, when courtesans used to be queens.
Netflix claims the series to be “an immersive saga of love, power, revenge and freedom”. Bhansali labels the show to be a “passion project” as he has worked on it for about 14 years. The concept of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar belongs to Moin Beg, while Bhansali has been credited to be the director and creator of the series.
The plotline is based on the lives of the ‘tawaifs’ or courtesans of Lahore (currently in Pakistan) and the red-light district pre-Partition. With an ensemble of star-studded cast, the first look of the series showcases a range of emotions amidst the grandeur and lushness of Bhansali’s legacy.
What the series is about
The outline of the series reads “In the middle of a power struggle in Heeramandi, a young heir caught in the crossfire chooses love over succession, disbalancing the status quo. Set in pre-independent India against a flourishing freedom movement, the last thread holding the art of tawaifs (courtesans) is put to the test.” This important milestone in Bhansali’s journey is deemed an all- encompassing saga of love, power, revenge and freedom.
During the Mughal reign in the 15th -16th centuries, Heeramandi operated as the focal center of prostitution in Lahore, a role the market continued even under colonial rule.
The teaser begins with a dynamic portrayal of the area’s dance culture as the women elegantly perform Kathak. The next shot shows the dancers dressed in rich yellow attires and luxurious ornaments as they embrace each other.
The mood suddenly shifts as Sonakshi Sinha is introduced on the screen, as the ambience moves from splendour to dark and mysterious. As chaos and riots break out on the streets by protestors, the story delves deeper as the women are compelled to take up arms.
This first look takes the audience to the grand mansions and streets of colonial Pakistan’s biggest pleasure district. It offers a sneak-peek into the society of courtesans who were treated like queens, along with spectacular sets and evocative music reminiscent of Bhansali’s previous works.
The 8-episode series began shooting in June 2022 and last year, the creators revealed another first look of the series. Bhansali is ready to welcome the audience into the intriguing world of Heeramandi, that interweaves the experience of bonding and deception, including murders and bloodshed.
With a glamorous cast that includes Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Sehgal and Sanjeeda Sheikh, needless to say the audience would be waiting for the film to unfold later this year.
Watch the first look of Heeramandi here: https://youtu.be/0O0tRT3iwQo?si=VoIxywDI-bpdRPXx
