An opulent spectacle of Lahore’s Red-Light District, the first teaser of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s highly-anticipated OTT debut, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, dropped on February 1. Unveiled by streaming giant Netflix, the teaser took us back in time – 1940s, to be exact – by offering a glimpse into the world of Lahore’s courtesans.
It had viewers both excited and riled up, with several hung up on the fact that a film about Heeramandi should’ve been Pakistan’s to make. Others, however, expressed their eagerness to watch Bhansali’s take on the area, its women, its politics and lure. Drawn by the opulence of his larger-than-life sets, production and glam, many were “seated” on X, intently waiting on the director to deliver.
The good
The micro-blogging platform was full of fans-in-the-making, who couldn’t help but admire Bhansali’s visual genius and his dressing up of the bazaar and all its courtesans. “This looks incredible omg!” commented a user. “This is going to become a new obsession I just know it. It looks so good and it’s so colourful, I have no idea what’s going on and I don’t care!” added another virtually screaming! “The West could never! OMG!” maintained a commenter.
A user, among many others, confessed that they’ve “never been this excited for a show.” Others were pleased to see their favourite heroines razzle and dazzle. “I’m going to collapse, Sonakshi!” wrote a user. “Omg Aditi Rao Hyderi, your pretty eyes, will have to watch this now,” chimed in another.
“It’s giving Saawariya?” pointed out a user. “Oh! this is about to eat” remarked one more. “I confess, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is authentically the best at showing women so celebrative! Can’t wait to watch this,” expressed a tweep. “Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an artist among filmmakers. His canvas is opulent, intricate albeit muted with a tinge of darkness. The sheer acting powerhouse in this series is a feat in itself. I mean, Manisha Koirala?! This better be good!” urged a user, and we second.
The bad
Many, however, held that the intense glamorisation may take away from the story and what the courtesans really represented back in the day. A user even called the show Bhansali’s “romanticisation of tawaifs”. There were also those who felt cheated by Bollywood’s up-taking of stories centred around Pakistan’s Lahore.
“Aaaah, another Bollywood movie with a Pakistani flavour,” tweeted a user under Netflix’s teaser unveil on X. “Most of this is based on imagination not true events,” another offered in a disclaimer that is sure to be part of the film. “Take Pakistan out of the picture and Bollywood will crumble!” quipped one more. “Without Pakistan, you Indians can’t do politics or make films. You hate Pakistan and then you’re also obsessed with it,” commented another.
“What inaccurate representation Bollywood. Although historically was it ever that glam? All the Mughal history I’ve read, the tawaif were actually very educated and sophisticated,” an X user inquired. “SLB’s delusory romanticisation of tawaifs,” slammed on more.
The needful
While Bhansali continues to amaze or disappoint, it is important for cinema fans that he do the needful – deliver justice to the narrative and their viewing time. With regards to that, Heeramandi promises to explore stories of courtesans and the hidden cultural reality of the area, a buzzing red-light district prior to the Partition of the subcontinent. The project is about love, betrayal, succession, and politics in the kothas with multi-faceted characters and soulful compositions.
The series stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh in the lead roles. The makers in a recent statement described the show as “a mix of love, betrayal, succession, and politics in the kothas (house of courtesans)”. They said, “Heeramandi promises Sanjay Leela 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. Like all of the auteur’s creations, Heeramandi will have unique compositions and music that linger with the audience, just like his stories.”
In a statement last year, Bhansali told ANI, “Heeramandi is an important milestone in my journey as a filmmaker. This is an epic, first-of-its-kind series based on the courtesans of Lahore. It is an ambitious, grand and all-encompassing series; therefore, I am nervous yet excited about making it. I am looking forward to my partnership with Netflix and bringing Heeramandi to audiences all over the world.”
The official streaming date of the show is still awaited. However, the series is expected to drop on Netflix in 2024.
