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Heeramandi Review: Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a genius and his Queens are our pride
Heeramandi, created by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal and others, now streams on Netflix. Read our review.
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Heeramandi is a web show focusing on the lives of courtesans of Heeramandi, in pre-independent India
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Heeramandi is now streaming on Netflix
Name: Heeramandi
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Cast: Aditi Rao Hydari,Richa Chadha,Sonakshi Sinha,Sanjeeda Sheikh,Sharmin Segal,Manisha Koirala
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, created by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, focuses on the life of courtesans in the pre-independence era and how they contributed in India's independence.
Plot:
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, focuses on the life of the courtesans in Heeramandi - The Diamond Market. Mallikajaan (Manisha Koirala) is the huzoor of Shahi Mahal. Waheeda (Sanjeeda Sheikh) is her sister, Bibbojaan (Aditi Rao Hydari) and Alamzeb (Sharmin Segal) are her daughters, Fareedan (Sonakshi Sinha) is the new huzoor of Khwabgah and Lajjo (Richa Chadha) is an unrequited lover.
Mallikajaan wants her youngest daughter Alamzeb to be a courtesan, as this is what the fate of a courtesan's daughter is, but she wishes to be a poet. She secretly falls in love with the Nawab of Baloch, Tajdar (Taha Shah Badussha). Fareedan, who has scores to settle with Mallikajaan, acts as a mediator in the love affair of Alam and Taj. Waheeda, who is tired of the way she is treated by her sister, can go to any lengths to break her sister's pride, even if it means uniting with Fareedan. Bibbojaan is involved in the rebellion against the British. She maintains relations with Wali Sahab (Fardeen Khan), who is in close contact with the British officers, so that she can blurt things out of him.
Can all the courtesans unite and be a part of the Indian rebellion or will their hatred for one another finish them and their very existence? Watch Heeramandi to find out.
What works for Heeramandi:
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the genius, strikes yet again. Heeramandi screams of brilliance in a million ways. The sets are massive and the vision is somehow even bigger. The eye for detailing is a nobrainer when one talks about an SLB creation. Songs are terrific, especially Sakal Ban, Tilasmi Bahein and Ek Baar Dekh Lijiye. They are filmed with such precision and so intricately that your eyes will start to sparkle. The world-building is second to none. For 5 odd hours, expect yourself to be fully immersed in the world of Heeramandi. Dialogues are simply fantastic. They are the life of the show. The Queens of Heeramandi are literally diamonds. There is so much to appreciate about the dream project of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The easiest way to put it would be to say that it is perhaps the filmmaker's most accomplished work.
What doesn't work for Heeramandi:
There isn't much that doesn't work for Heeramandi. The visual effects could be done slightly better and the whole rebellion could have been executed in a much grittier manner. Barring that, Heeramandi is a viewer's dream. It is an honour and privilege to be living in the times of the great Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Watch the Heeramandi Trailer
Performances in Heeramandi:
Manisha Koirala as Mallikajaan is out of the world. What a character and what a performance!
Sonakshi Sinha as Fareedan is brilliant. Just wow!
Sanjeeda Sheikh, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sharmin Segal are all absolutely wonderful.
Richa Chadha makes her presence aptly felt in her short yet beautiful role.
Taha Shah Badussha as Tajdar is lovable.
Indresh Malik as the queer pimp, Ustaadji, is the heart of the show. He is phenomenal.
Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman do well in their roles.
Jason Shah as Cartwright makes you hate him and that's a huge win.
There are so many other exceptional supporting actors in the show like Farida Jalal, Jayati Bhatia and Pratibha Ranta among others, that deserve all the appreciation.
Final Verdict of Heeramandi:
Heeramandi is dreamy. It is magical. It is exceptional. It is everything a cinema lover could ever crave for, and more.
Do yourself a favour and get immersed into Sanjay Leela Bhansali's world.
Heeramandi now streams on Netflix. Go watch!
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