Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first global drama series ‘Heeramandi’ is all set for a Netflix outing with an all-star Bollywood cast of Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal and Sanjeeda Sheikh.
The series explores the cultural reality of Heeramandi, a historic bazaar district of Pakistan, through the stories of courtesans and their patrons set against the tumultuous backdrop of the India’s freedom struggle of the 1940s. A mix of love, betrayal, succession, and politics in the kothas or house of courtesans, the series is packed with Bhansali’s signature style of larger-than-life stories, intricate and soulful characters, and rippling dynamics of a world rife with conflict during a defining time period for India.
Bhansali said: “Heeramandi has a special place in my heart as it has stayed with me for 14 years. The most compelling aspect of storytelling for me is the opportunity to represent real characters, especially women, and portray their emotions with interesting nuances.
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The women of ‘Heeramandi’ are queens in their own right, and my effort with this story is to bring these historic characters to life with a modern approach. Netflix made this possible for us by nurturing and making an artist like me feel at home.”
Like his many Bollywood creations, ‘Heeramandi’ also has some unique music compositions.
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said: “Audiences want stories that help them escape and connect, and Sanjay is an exceptional storyteller who does both.
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“Heeramandi, like all of Sanjay’s stories, is not style over substance but style and substance together. At Netflix, our responsibility to creators is to give them the tools to do their life’s work and empower them to bring their vision alive.
“We're thrilled to collaborate with a visionary like Sanjay and bring the world of ‘Heeramandi’ to a global audience.”
