'Heeramandi': Web series about Lahore's Red Light District to hit Netflix on May 1

Cast heaps praise on SLB’s epic saga

 

Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s digital debut and epic saga web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is set to premiere on Netflix on May 1, according to reports across Indian media. 

With the long-awaited release date of Bhansali’s cherished creation announced in a grand gesture: a drone light show held at the Mahalaxmi Race Course in South Mumbai, The Economic Times reported that the event was attended by the star cast of the offering, consisting of Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh, along with Prerna Singh, CEO of Bhansali Productions, and Tanya Bami, Director of Series, Netflix India.

Consisting of eight episodes set amid the tumultuous backdrop of the struggles of the 1940s, the series explores the themes of love, power, revenge, and freedom, and visits the cultural reality of the dazzling district of ‘Heeramandi’ through the stories of courtesans and their patrons, as per reports. As well as captivating audiences, the show has also cast its actors under its spell, with Sinha commending Bhansali for creating a “dream-like world” that no one in the cast wanted to emerge from.

"It was dreamy, stunning, and it was that captivating,” gushed the star. Lauding Bhansali’s vision and its execution, Sinha added, “For us as actors, it was an experience which we never had before. The takeaway from working with him was that no matter how good you think you are, he will always get something better out of you.”

Echoing Sinha’s testament, Chadha, who previously worked with Bhansali in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela in 2013, praised the filmmaker for his attention to detail and for drawing the most out of his cast, noting that nothing was done “half-heartedly”.  

“You have to put your heart and soul into everything, whether it's dialogue delivery, acting, dancing, music, everything,” explained Chadha. “He even keeps an eye on every extra standing behind. It is just beautiful to work with him. We all became better actors.” 

Koirala, too, praised her experience of working on the show. Having previously worked with Bhansali in his 1996 directorial debut Khamoshi: The Musical, the actor remarked, “I think his work ethic is unmatched.” 

Created, directed and produced by Bhansali, fans the epic Netflix series have just over a month to go before they can assess whether the anticipation has been worth the wait. 

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