Heeramandi Explained

Genre:Historical drama
Creator:Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Screenplay:Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Dialogues:
Divya Nidhi
Vibhu Puri
Story:Moin Baig
Director:Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Music:Songs:
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Background Score:
Benedict Taylor
Naren Chandavarkar
Country:India
Language:Hindi
Num Episodes:8
Editor:Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Cinematography:Sudeep Chatterjee
Mahesh Limaye
Huentsang Mohapatra
Ragul Dharuman
Company:Bhansali Productions
Budget: crore[1]
Network:Netflix
Last Aired:present

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language period drama television series created and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Set in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore during the Indian independence movement, the series explores the lives of tawaifs and their intersection with political and personal struggles under British colonial rule.[2] The ensemble cast includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, and Taha Shah Badussha.

The series premiered on Netflix on 1 May 2024 and received mixed reviews from critics. In June 2024, it was renewed for a second season.[3]

At the 2024 Filmfare OTT Awards, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar received a leading 17 nominations, including Best Drama Series, Best Director in a Drama Series (for Bhansali), and Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (for both Chadha and Sheikh), and won 5 awards, including Best Actress in a Drama Series (for Koirala).

Premise

Set against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement in the 1940s, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar chronicles the lives of tawaifs in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore.[4]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Production

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar was officially announced in April 2021 as a long-gestating project conceived by Sanjay Leela Bhansali nearly 14 years earlier.[9] The eight-episode series, marking Bhansali's debut in the streaming space, commenced principal photography in June 2022.[10] Filming concluded in June 2023, following reshoots requested by Bhansali in May of that year.[11] [12] According to Bollywood Hungama, Bhansali directed the pilot episode, while the remaining episodes were helmed by Mitakshara Kumar—Bhansali's former associate director on Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018)—who replaced Vibhu Puri, the initially appointed director.[13]

In a 2023 conversation with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Bhansali described Heeramandi as his "biggest project," and cited Mother India (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), and Pakeezah (1972) as key influences on the series’ tone and visual aesthetic.[14] Costume designers Rimple and Harpreet Narula noted that the wardrobe for the series drew inspiration from the styles of vintage film personalities such as Patience Cooper, Suraiya, Swaran Lata, Noor Jehan, Shamshad Begum, and Mukhtar Begum.[15] In a separate interview with Lilly Singh, Bhansali revealed that he had initially hoped to cast Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Imran Abbas, but plans were shelved due to the prevailing ban on cross-border artistic collaborations between India and Pakistan.[16]

Soundtrack

See main article: Heeramandi (soundtrack). The first track from the soundtrack, "Sakal Ban," composed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali with lyrics attributed to Amir Khusrau and vocals by Raja Hasan, was released on 8 March 2024.[17] The second song, "Tilasmi Bahein," performed by Sharmistha Chatterjee, was released on 2 April 2024.[18] The album also features traditional folk songs such as "Phool Gendwa Na Maaro" and "Nazariya Ki Maari," which had previously appeared in Dooj Ka Chand (1964) and Pakeezah (1972), respectively.[19] The complete soundtrack, released under the Bhansali Music label, became available on 24 April 2024.[20]

Each classical composition is choreographed to feature members of the principal cast, often as part of mujra performances. "Tilasmi Bahein" is performed by Sonakshi Sinha, while "Phool Gendwa Na Maaro" and "Saiyaan Hatto Jaao" are picturized on Aditi Rao Hydari. "Chaudhavi Shab" features Sharmin Segal, "Nazariya Ki Maari" is performed by Sanjeeda Sheikh, and "Masoom Dil Hai Mera" by Richa Chadha. The songs "Sakal Ban" and "Azadi" include appearances by most of the primary female cast.

Release

A teaser for the series was released in February 2024, with Netflix announcing a planned release later that year.[21] In March, it was confirmed that the series would premiere on 1 May 2024.[22]

Reception

Viewership

During the week of 29 April to 5 May 2024, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar ranked as the second most-watched non-English television series on Netflix globally.[23] The series garnered 4.5 million views and accumulated 33 million viewing hours during its debut week, setting a record for the highest viewership for an Indian series in its opening week on the platform.[24] [25] It topped Netflix charts in 10 countries and appeared in the top ten list in 43 countries worldwide.

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 46% of 13 critic reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[26]

Shilajit Mitra of The Hindu described the series as "stunning to behold," citing its expansive production values.[27] Dhaval Roy of The Times of India noted that while the series "might feel like a long watch," its cinematic quality "will linger on long after its conclusion."[28]

Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost awarded the series 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a treat to the eyes" and "a lesson of history."[29] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave it 3 stars, commending Sanjay Leela Bhansali's thematic ambition and observing that, amid the show's opulence, it promotes the subcontinent's syncretic cultural heritage—a theme he deemed particularly relevant in contemporary India.[30]

Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com rated the series 3 out of 5, writing that it "mirrors Bhansali's film-making's finest and frustrating features," reflecting both artistic grandeur and narrative excess.[31] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the show 2.5 stars, commenting that while Bhansali's signature visual flair is evident, the story aims to portray the lives of courtesans who were once central to Indian popular culture.[32]

Classical dancer and founder of The Courtesan Project, Manjari Chaturvedi, criticized the series for conflating tawaifs with prostitutes, arguing that it fails to accurately portray the educational and cultural significance of historical courtesans. She also expressed concern that the show neglects essential references to the authentic tawaif tradition.[33]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Award! scope="col"
Date of the ceremonyCategoryRecipientsResult
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne16 August 2024Best OTT SeriesHeeramandi[34]
Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards6 October 2024Best OTT Original[35] [36]
Best Original Song"Sakal Ban"
Filmfare OTT Awards1 December 2024Best Drama SeriesHeeramandi[37]
Best Director in a Drama SeriesSanjay Leela Bhansali
Best Actress in a Drama SeriesManisha Koirala
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesRicha Chadha
Sanjeeda Sheikh
Best Original Story (Series)Moin Beg
Best Original Screenplay (Series)Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Vibhu Puri
Best Original Dialogue (Series)Divya Nidhi and Vibhu Puri
Best Background Music (Series)Benedict Taylor and Naren Chandavarkar
Best Original Soundtrack (Series)Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Raja Hasan, and Sharmistha Chatterjee
Best Production Design (Series)Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Roy
Best Cinematographer (Series)Sudeep Chatterjee, Mahesh Limaye, Huenstang Mohapatra, and Ragul Herian Dharuman
Best Costume Design (Series)Rimple, Harpreet Narula, and Chandrakant Sonawane
Best VFX (Series)Vinay Singh Chuphal (FutureWorks)
Best Editing (Series)Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Best Sound Design (Series)Sanal George
Asian Academy Creative Awards3–4 December 2024Best Actress in a Leading Role (India)Manisha Koirala[38]
Best Cinematography (Fiction) (India)Sudeep Chatterjee
Best Visual or Special FX (TV or Feature Film) (India)FutureWorksFutureWorks

Sequel

Following the massive success of the series as it generated the highest viewership ever for any show by Netflix India, Heeramandi was renewed for a second season. A 'Season 2 Announcement' video was dropped on 3 June 2024. However, the streaming date of the new season has not yet been informed.[39]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Netflix's 'Heeramandi' budget around Rs 200 crore, creator Sanjay Leela Bhansali took home Rs 60-65 crore, other stars got paid… . 2 May 2024 . . 2 May 2024 . en-us . 2 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502035010/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/netflixs-heeramandi-budget-around-rs-200-crore-creator-sanjay-leela-bhansali-took-home-rs-60-65-crore-other-stars-got-paid-13766143.html . live .
  2. News: Frater . Patrick . 1 February 2024 . Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar' Drops First Footage . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240201043026/https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/sanjay-leela-bhansali-heeramandi-the-diamond-bazaar-1235893808/ . 1 February 2024 . 31 January 2024 . Variety.
  3. News: Ramachandran . Naman . Naman Ramachandran . 3 June 2024 . Sanjay Leela Bhansali Hit 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar' Renewed for Season 2 by Netflix (EXCLUSIVE) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604014324/https://variety.com/2024/global/news/sanjay-leela-bhansali-heeramandi-season-2-netflix-1236022762/ . 4 June 2024 . 5 June 2024 . Variety.
  4. News: 1 February 2024 . Heeramandi first look: Sanjay Leela Bhansali series starring Manisha, Sonakshi, Aditi will take you back to another era . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240201052151/https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/heeramandi-first-look-sanjay-leela-bhansali-manisha-koirala-sonakshi-sinha-aditi-rao-hydari-richa-chadha-101706760393079.html . 1 February 2024 . 1 February 2024 . Hindustan Times.
  5. Web site: Farida Jalal joins Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi. The Times of India. 8 November 2022. 1 February 2024. 26 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230326165527/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/farida-jalal-joins-sanjay-leela-bhansalis-heeramandi-exclusive/articleshow/95373372.cms?from=mdr. live.
  6. Web site: Adhyayan Suman To Star In Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: "For Me He Is No Less Than God". NDTV. 24 August 2023. 1 February 2024. 28 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231128142424/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/adhyayan-suman-to-star-in-sanjay-leela-bhansalis-heeramandi-for-me-he-is-no-less-than-god-4325212. live.
  7. Web site: Fardeen Khan to star in his first ever period drama Heeramandi by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Bollywood Hungama. 23 July 2022. 1 February 2024. 1 February 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240201132322/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/fardeen-khan-star-first-ever-period-drama-heeramandi-sanjay-leela-bhansali/. live.
  8. Web site: Shekhar Suman Reveals The Role Of Chunnilal In Devdas Was First Offered To Him. NDTV. 15 September 2023. 1 February 2024. 1 February 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240201130918/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/shekhar-suman-reveals-the-role-of-chunnilal-in-devdas-was-first-offered-to-him-4391176. live.
  9. News: 9 August 2021 . India's Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sets Netflix Series 'Heeramandi' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230823080742/https://variety.com/2021/streaming/news/sanjay-leela-bhansali-heeramandi-netflix-1235037240/ . 23 August 2023 . 1 February 2024 . Variety.
  10. Web site: 18 February 2023 . Ted Sarandos On Netflix's Ambitions In India: "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327145813/https://deadline.com/2023/02/sanjay-leela-bhansali-netflix-ted-sarandos-1235263992/ . 27 March 2023 . 1 February 2024 . Deadline Hollywood.
  11. Web site: 12 June 2023 . Heeramandi to be Wrapped up by end of the Month . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240201122409/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/quick-reads/heeramandi-to-be-wrapped-up-by-end-of-the-month . 1 February 2024 . 1 February 2024 . Deadline Hollywood.
  12. News: 24 May 2023 . Sanjay Leela Bhansali orders re-shoot of 'Heeramandi; risks delayed release of web series . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530040703/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/news/hindi/sanjay-leela-bhansali-orders-re-shoot-of-heeramandi-scenes-risks-delayed-release-of-web-series/articleshow/100471047.cms?from=mdr . 30 May 2023 . 1 February 2024 . The Times of India.
  13. Web site: 1 June 2022 . Heeramandi finds a new Director; Vibhu Puri replaced with Mitakshara Kumar . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230731045327/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/breaking-heeramandi-finds-new-director-vibhu-puri-replaced-mitakshara-kumar/ . 31 July 2023 . 1 February 2024 . Bollywood Hungama.
  14. Web site: 21 February 2023 . Heeramandi is Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Biggest Project" Yet . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240201122345/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/heeramandi-is-sanjay-leela-bhansalis-biggest-project-yet-aditi-rao-hydari-manisha-koirala-sonakshi-sinha-richa-chadha . 1 February 2024 . 2 February 2024 . Film Companion.
  15. Web site: 12 February 2023 . Fashion Masterminds Rimple & Harpreet Narula Bring Alive SLB's Vision For Heeramandi . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240216122345/https://elle.in/heeramandi-rimple-harpreet/ . 16 February 2024 . 21 February 2024 . Elle India.
  16. Web site: 2 May 2024 . Sanjay Leela Bhansali says he wanted to cast Mahira, Fawad Khan in 'Heeramandi' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502074840/https://theasianmirror.com/latest/51044/sanjay-leela-bhansali-says-he-wanted-to-cast-mahira-fawad-khan-in-heeramandi/ . 2 May 2024 . 2 May 2024 . The Asian Mirror.
  17. News: 8 March 2024 . Sanjay Leela Bhansali Launches Music Label With 'Heeramandi' Soundtrack . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526112230/https://variety.com/2024/music/asia/sanjay-leela-bhansali-music-label-heeramandi-1235934783/ . 26 May 2024 . 12 March 2024 . Variety.
  18. News: 3 April 2024 . 'Tilasmi Bahein': Sonakshi Sinha is femme fatale in 'Heeramandi's 2nd song . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240511133802/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/tilasmi-bahein-sonakshi-sinha-is-femme-fatale-in-sanjay-leela-bhansalis-heeramandis-second-song-2522640-2024-04-03 . 11 May 2024 . 5 April 2024 . India Today.
  19. News: 30 April 2024 . 'Heeramandi' songs: Sanjay Leela Bhansali remade three iconic old songs for the series . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240430085721/https://mirchi.in/stories/music/sanjay-leela-bhansali-recreated-three-iconic-songs-for-heeramandi-the-diamond-bazaar/109717907 . 30 April 2024 . 6 May 2024 . Mirchi Plus.
  20. Web site: 24 April 2024 . Heeramandi (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240511133818/https://open.spotify.com/album/6b2vHhEysVp1gXn7WMrBFy?si=pyy-PmZ9T12M03jfqMa_Mg&nd=1&dlsi=f73961915bee42b5 . 11 May 2024 . 29 April 2024 . Spotify.
  21. News: Heeramandi: First look of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's series to be revealed on THIS date . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240201034856/https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/heeramandi-first-look-of-sanjay-leela-bhansalis-series-to-be-revealed-on-this-date-64159.html . 2024-02-01 . 2024-02-01 . Filmfare.
  22. Web site: 27 March 2024 . Bhansali's 'Heeramandi' to drop on Netflix on May 1 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526112231/https://news.rediff.com/commentary/2024/mar/27/bhansalis-heeramandi-to-drop-on-netflix-on-may-1/8e83691040991a3fed81875d865c9402 . 26 May 2024 . 27 March 2024 . Rediff.com.
  23. Web site: 8 May 2024 . Netflix Global Top 10 - Most-Watched Non-English TV (29 April 2024 – 5 May 2024) . https://web.archive.org/web/20240508144017/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv-non-english . 8 May 2024 . 8 May 2024 . Netflix.
  24. News: 8 May 2024 . Top 10 Week of Apr. 29: 'Baby Reindeer' Holds Strong; 'Heeramandi' Breaks Records; Katt Williams and Tom Brady Live Events Bring the Laughs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240511133705/https://about.netflix.com/en/news/top-10-week-of-apr-29-baby-reindeer-holds-strong-heeramandi-breaks-records . 11 May 2024 . 8 May 2024 . Netflix.
  25. News: 8 May 2024 . Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut web show Heeramandi becomes most-viewed Indian series on Netflix . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240508145052/https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/sanjay-leela-bhansalis-debut-web-show-heeramandi-becomes-most-viewed-indian-series-on-netflix-101715172741662.html . 8 May 2024 . 8 May 2024 . Hindustan Times.
  26. Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. heeramandi_the_diamond_bazaar/s01. tv. 13 May 2024.
  27. News: Mitra . Shilajit . 1 May 2024 . 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar' series review: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's dazzling soap opera . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240515153226/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/heeramandi-the-diamond-bazaar-series-review-sanjay-leela-bhansalis-dazzling-soap-opera/article68127732.ece . 15 May 2024 . 15 May 2024 . . en-IN.
  28. News: Roy . Dhaval . 1 May 2024 . Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar Season 1 Review : Dazzles with stellar performances and visual grandeur . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240514114227/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/heeramandi-the-diamond-bazaar/season-1/seasonreview/109685822.cms . 14 May 2024 . 15 May 2024 . The Times of India.
  29. Web site: May 2024 . Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha's Heeramandi Review: Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial series is intoxicatingly beautiful Netflix . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502051937/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/manisha-koirala-sonakshi-sinhas-heeramandi-review-sanjay-leela-bhansali-directorial-series-is-intoxicatingly-beautiful-netflix-13765827.html . 2 May 2024 . 2 May 2024 . Firstpost.
  30. News: Chatterjee . Saibal . Saibal Chatterjee . 1 May 2024 . Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar Review - There's More Than The Blindingly Sumptuous Means Sanjay Leela Bhansali Employs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501083513/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/heeramandi-the-diamond-bazaar-review-theres-more-than-the-blindingly-sumptuous-means-sanjay-leela-bhansali-employs-3-stars-5563342 . 1 May 2024 . 1 May 2024 . NDTV.
  31. Web site: 1 May 2024 . Heeramandi Review: Romance, Revenge, Rebellion . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240503133554/https://m.rediff.com/movies/review/heeramandi-review/20240501.htm . 3 May 2024 . 3 May 2024 . Rediff.
  32. News: Gupta . Shubhra . Shubhra Gupta . 1 May 2024 . Heeramandi review: Part history, part myth, full-on Sanjay Leela Bhansali . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502042112/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/heeramandi-review-part-history-part-myth-full-on-sanjay-leela-bhansali-9300636/ . 2 May 2024 . 2 May 2024 . . en.
  33. Web site: 8 May 2024 . The British reduced all tawaifs to sex workers – so has Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Heeramandi . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240509014501/https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/tawaifs-sex-workers-sanjay-leela-bhansali-heeramandi-9316484/ . 2024-05-09 . 2024-05-09.
  34. Web site: IIFM 2024: Laapataa Ladies leads with 5 nominations; Shah Rukh to compete with Kartik, Mammootty, Diljit for Best Actor . 2024-10-07 . DNA India . en.
  35. Web site: ACA & Global OTT Awards: Nominations 2024. August 30, 2024. August 30, 2024 . Asia Contents Awards.
  36. Web site: ACA & G.OTT . 2024-10-07 . ACA & G.OTT.
  37. Web site: Filmfare OTT Awards 2024: Kareena Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh Bag Top Honours. Here's The Full List Of Winners . 2025-05-06 . NDTV . en.
  38. Web site: pdf . Asian Academy Creative Awards . 26 September 2024 . List of National Winners 2024 . Asian Academy Creative Awards.
  39. Web site: 3 June 2024 . Heeramandi Season 2 announced: Aditi Rao Hydari, Taha Shah join fans to share their excitement for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next chapter . . 21 January 2026.

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