Renowned Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first web series ‘Heeramandi: The Heeramandi Bazaar’ has launched today on the Netflix streaming platform.
Bhansali discussed his vision for the big budget show at its Los Angeles premiere. He revealed that he initially planned to release Rekha as film starring Kareena and Mukerji. The filmmaker admitted that the idea for Heeramandi was with him for 18 years, but never materialized because the film was so big.
“That was 18 years ago, so it was once Rekha ji, Kareena and Rani Mukerji,” Bhansali said in an interview with Lilly Singh at the film’s premiere. Then he became another actor, another person.
Bhansali revealed that the host was surprised by the idea when Heeramandi “must be a film”. Heeramandi is set in the world of nobles and nawabs in pre-independence Lahore.
The director/producer revealed that at one point Pakistani actors Imran Abbas, Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan were considered for the role, but “everything changed later”.
Earlier, Imran Abbas even revealed in an interview that he had accepted an offer to participate in the show.
“I didn’t say no to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, it was saved. I was also offered a role in Aditya Roy Kapur’s Guzaarish,” Nida told Asirasir.
At the end of the conversation, SLB said that he was satisfied with the current casting. Manera Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah, Fardeen Khan and Shekhar Suman are the stars who are a part of Heeramandi.
Bhansali revealed in the interview that he has shot for more than 300 days and has been developing for around three years. After Heeramandi, Bhansali is excited about Love and War starring Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal.
