Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Heeramandi's remake, ‘Nobody else will ever be able to make Heeramandi again...’

MUMBAI : Heeramandi helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali took fans on a tour of the elaborate set of his debut streaming series which was released on Netflix on May 1.  Bhansali and his cast, which includes all the stars, spoke about the experience of working on such a grand scale and also all about the sets, adorable constumes and productions.

Also read: Read how Sanjay Leela Bhansali's heart has been set on Heeramandi for ages and why he started creating music of his own!

Heeramandi is a semi-historical drama set in pre-Independence Lahore showcasing all about tawaifs, Bhansali described putting the show together as ‘making three big-sized, four big-sized films.’ The idea for Heeramandi, he said, never left his mind for nearly two decades. ‘After every film, Heeramandi would come out. But I would say, it’s too vast, it’s too epic to be made into a two-hour film. Finally, the time came and we said, let’s make it into a series, because that will do justice to the vastness of it,’ he said.

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The video showcased footage of the large set being built, with glimpses of the Shahi Mahal, the mosque, the town square, and the many interiors of the havelis that housed the courtesans of Heeramandi. It also features the interaction of Bhansali with his wonderful cast. Bhansali also participates and interacts with all the other departments in the video.

Explaining his fascination for this story, Bhansali said, ‘the plight of the courtesans, they were queens also, but they had personal angst. They have personal joys and celebrations, but there’s sadness and pathos. All of this has to be felt in the architecture. The set has to come alive, when the actor walks in, it has to come alive. When the cameraman lights it, it has to come alive. I would want a certain kind of textile, and it comes alive when the cameraman lights it and the actor wears it. It’s very important to create a certain atmosphere. I would want a certain kind of music playing non-stop, constantly on the set.’

Towards the end of the video, Bhansali admitted that making Heeramandi was a demanding process, and not one that he is likely to repeat. ‘We’ve made it, I’ve enjoyed making it, and I’m thankful to God that we made it… It was a very difficult project. Nobody else will ever be able to make Heeramandi again, nor will I be able to make it again, because it happens once,’ he said.  

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CREDIT: theindianexpress