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Every time a new Sanjay Leela Bhansali project arrives, the question that lingers in the minds of audiences is how he’s going to outperform himself in terms of production design. Known for using large sets that capture the essence of royalty, even in narratives not centred around monarchs, Bhansali is now gearing up to enter the world of streaming with his upcoming period drama series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. For Bhansali, whose directorial ventures since Bajirao Mastani (2015) have all been set in bygone eras, mostly revolving around historical figures, Heeramandi seems like the ideal canvas to demonstrate his mastery as the show revolves around the lives of tawaifs (courtesans) living in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore in pre-independence India.
The filmmaker told Architectural Digest that he “likes to be lost in bigger spaces,” and hence has an affinity for large sets. Bhansali has set up a three-acre set for his upcoming eight-part series, which will drop on Netflix on May 1. During the chat, Bhansali also asserted that Heeramandi’s is his “biggest set ever”. A team of 700 craftsmen worked at Mumbai’s Film City for seven months to erect the set on about 60,000 wooden planks and metal frames, which, once finished, became the Shahi Mahal (royal palace) of Mallikajaan (Manisha Koirala), the queen of the most powerful brothel in Heera Mandi.
Architectural Digest also unveiled a BTS video of Heeramandi, showcasing the meticulous efforts of the crew and actors in bringing Bhansali’s vision to life.
The set also encompasses the Khwabgaah (quarters), a splendid white mosque, a huge courtyard, a dancing hall, water fountains, a colonial-looking room, roads, shops, and other smaller kothas, and also a hammam room, showcasing the rich arts, crafts, and textiles of the time. “Excellence can be pursued, it can never be achieved,” Bhansali said. The Mughal miniature paintings, frescoes, colonial portraits of British officers, the filigree work on the window frames, the enamel carving on the floor, the minutely etched wooden doors and even the chandeliers were all handmade under Bhansali’s supervision.
“You can’t just make a set and place your characters in it. No, it doesn’t work that way. Architecture plays a very important role in frame-making and filmmaking,” he asserted, expressing his admiration for legendary filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Kamal Amrohi for their talent in lending their sets to further the narrative.
The idea of Heeramandi had been lingering in his mind for 18 years. It borrows from the crumbling walls of Kamathipura and takes from the many antiques he saw being sold at Chor Bazaar or the fading walls of his childhood home. The show features Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal in key roles and Bhansali has co-directed the episodes with Mitakshara Kumar.
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