Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language television period drama series created by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The series is about the lives of tawaifs at the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore during the Indian independence movement against the British Raj.
It is an eight-episode series based on the real-life story of courtesans in the red-light district of Lahore’s Heera Mandi during pre-independence India.
The series is also a debut of Sanjay Leela Bhansali on OTT platform. The series is written, created and directed by Sanjay along with Moin Baig, Divya Nidhi Sharma and Mitakshra Kumar.
Heera Mandi was officially announced in April 2021, as a project Bhansali had envisaged 14 years ago.The eight-part series, which also marks Bhansali’s first foray into streaming, began filming in June 2022.Filming was reported to have ended a year later in June 2023, after Bhansali asked for reshoots in May. Bollywood Hungama reported that Bhansali directed the pilot episode, while the rest of the episodes were directed by Mitakshara Kumar, who had worked as an associate director to Bhansali in Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat, replacing Vibhu Puri, who had previously been hired.
The main star cast include Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Haidri, Richa Chadda, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal in pivotal roles. They all are looking damn gorgeous in traditional attire and heavy Jewellery. The series also has Shekhar Suman, Adhyyan Suman, Fareeda Jalal, Fardeen khan, Vaishnavi Gantara in recurring role.
The first song from the soundtrack, “Sakal Ban”, composed by Bhansali, was released on 8 March 2024 where all the six main leads can be seen in beautiful yellow traditional outfits dancing and singing.
Spring is here with a melody that exudes grace and power! 💛#SakalBan🌼 SONG OUT NOW from #HEERAMANDI – https://t.co/xHrxTOO7qS
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is coming soon, only on Netflix!#HeeramandiOnNetflix #SanjayLeelaBhansali @prerna982 @mkoirala #SonakshiSinha… pic.twitter.com/lWQXaAdjwB
— BhansaliProductions (@bhansali_produc) March 14, 2024
A teaser of the series was released in February 2024, with a release date planned on Netflix for later in the year.
Sharing the first look of the web series, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Netflix jointly wrote, ”Here’s your first look at legendary Indian creator Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first series EVER: Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar!”
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar still exists
Heera Mandi is located inside the Walled City of Lahore, near the Taxali Gate, and south of the Badshahi Mosque. Heeramandi was a sing and dance community based on tawaif culture during the Mughal period. After the British colonization, Heeramandi gradually turned into a red light district mainly for prostitution.
In the modern era, sex workers from HeeraMandi have adapted to changing times, using social media and various apps to offer ‘escort services’. Today, Heera Mandi stands with a dual identity, appearing as a regular market during the day and transforming into a red-light district at night.
During British rule, HeeraMandi gained notoriety as the British redeveloped brothel houses for their soldiers, subsequently relocating them to LahoriGate and txali Gate. In the late 20th century, efforts to end prostitution did not work and it continued other parts of Lahore.
The series explores the cultural reality of Heeramandi, a dazzling district, through the stories of courtesans and their patrons set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Indian freedom struggle of the 1940s.
Earlier, talking to Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Sanjay had mentioned how strong female characters are an integral part of his stories. He said: “Be it Manisha’s character in Khamoshi, who looks after her differently-abled parents, Nandini in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, who has the courage to pursue her love and then make a choice, the character of Mastani in Bajirao Mastani or that of Rani in Black, for me the impact of a story increases manifold with a strong female character.”
He further mentioned: “A strong female character is the fulcrum of any project for me. I won’t make ‘Bajirao Mastani’ if there’s no Mastani.”