Ever since Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced his web show debut with Heeramandi, fans are eager to catch a glimpse of the magnum opus. The filmmaker, known for his lavish sets and larger-than-life cinema, will be showcasing another historical drama set against the backdrop of the pre-Independence era. The first glimpse of the upcoming show after unveiling the poster last year will now be released on February 1.
On Wednesday, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production house shared the news of the first look announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a post saying, “Get ready for the first look at Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first series, the majestic world of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, arrives tomorrow!”. The announcement video also featured the tidbits of the musil one can expect from the show. Earlier, the poster unveiled the looks of the lead characters essayed by an ensemble cast, which includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Richa Chadha, and Sanjay’s niece Sharmin Segal, as courtesans.
The show is not only expected to be made on an extensive budget but it is also expected to feature a host of celebrities as it is said to be a social drama set in the 1940s and revolves around the courtesan culture. In an earlier interview with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, SLB had called the show as a tribute to films based on courtesans like Pakeezah, Mughal-e-Azam.
He also appreciated several filmmakers who managed to effortlessly work on such magnum opuses like Raj Kapoor, Bimal Roy, and Guru Dutt. “They told beautiful women stories. They understood that she is the creator of man, therefore she needs to be given a place in literature, cinema and art. They always told stories of women, they were not necessarily telling stories of men. So if there is a Bajirao, there is also Mastani for me. If there was no Padmavati, who would hold the fort, fight and go into fire, I wouldn’t have made that film,” he had said.
