Sanjay Leela Bhansali shares how he created the world of ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’

‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ is trending on Netflix worldwide since its release on May 1st, and viewers can’t get enough of the opulence and drama in the 8 episode series.

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali sat down for a roundtable interview, and shared insight into how he did the research and creation of the show. “Heeramandi” is the first series Bhansali has created, and he explained the differences between directing a film and a show.

“There’s a different way you consider the audience when working with a streaming platform. While I always have my audience and how to connect with them in mind, my experience with Netflix specifically offered a wider and more immediate audience than I’m often used to. With streaming, you have to meet audiences where they are and draw them in – there’s so much available which is so exciting and such an asset for reaching people I never would have reached before, but it’s also daunting knowing you have to make a real effort to stand out and make sure your audience buys into the work.”

The series follows the story of the tawaifs, or courtesans, of the Heeramandi district in Lahore, before the partition, and not only their individual lives, but how they played a role in the independence movement. Bhansali shares how he did the research for the show when creating the script.

“I reimagine period. So it is authentic, but it is my understanding and version of it. Thematically, stories about love, and rebellion, striving for freedom and empowerment, war and deceit, have always been and will always remain relevant to audiences across time.”

Through the series, Bhansali says that he hopes audiences are able to learn more about the journey of the courtesans during that time period, and the struggles they went through.

“The show provides a one of a kind experience, one everyone should experience regardless of where they live; the lives and stories in this show, despite their cultural specificity, work because of how vital they are on a human level. My hope is that HEERAMANDI enlightens audiences of all cultural backgrounds on the unique journeys of the great women like those featured in the show.”

‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ is now streaming worldwide on Netflix.