Table of Contents
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. (L to R) Aditi Rao Hydari as Bibbo, Manisha Koirala as Mallikajaan, Sanjeeda Sheikh as Waheeda, Richa Chadha as Lajjo in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024
This month, many anticipated new releases are hitting the Netflix homepages, such as the popular Sydney Sweeney flick ‘Anyone But You’ and the newest season of ‘Bridgerton’. Many Bollywood releases have been sweeping Netflix’s new releases, especially hitting hard in the musical category. However, one of the new releases, ‘Heeramandi’ stands out from many of the releases, as this new musical series is an anticipated reunion for the Bollywood fanbase.
Things to do:
- Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here.
- Limited Time Offer – FREE Subscription to The Hollywood Insider
- Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider fully focuses on substance and meaningful entertainment, against gossip and scandal, by combining entertainment, education, and philanthropy.
The Bollywood Megastars Reunited 28 Years Later – Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Superstar Manisha Koirala
One of the biggest Bollywood directors, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is back in the director’s seat for this new series. This is Bhansali’s first streaming series of his career, and his transition from feature films to streaming series has already been solid. Pacing in feature-length films versus that of a television episode is like night and day. However, after watching the first episode, I feel ready for more. The first episode doesn’t feel like too much or too little for the first episode, as the transition from feature-length to a shorter time frame can lend itself to.
WATCH THE TRAILER of the Film and the Revolution:
‘Can I Go Home Now?’ Composed by A. R. Rahman
The Bollywood superstar and Nepali actress Manisha Koirala is also making her return to Bhansali’s poetry as the lead role, Mallikajaan. While Koirala is not only a Bollywood superstar and a stellar actress in her own right, she is reuniting with Bhansali after 28 years. Sanjay Leela Bhansali made his first film, ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’ with Koirala in the leading role of Annie. This reunification in Bhansali’s first streaming series is almost symbolic, especially in the Bollywood fanbase.
THE WORLD OF ‘HEERAMANDI’
‘Heeramandi’ is about the red-light district in Heera Mandi in Lahore, current-day Pakistan, during the independence movement against the British Empire. The series follows the courtesans and dancers within this district, as well as themes of this independence movement and the romances that take place in this dark world. It feels reminiscent of ‘Bridgerton’ or Baz Luhrman’s ‘Moulin Rouge’. With a revolution in front of the background of the sparkling musical romance, ‘Heeramandi’ has something for everyone.
Right off, the costume design is gorgeous. The series takes place in the 1920s, which is a decade that features prominent fashion choices. The dark color palette and notions of sparkles help make the costumes stand out. The imagery in the costume design helps introduce us to this dark, musical, world that isn’t always seen in Bollywood stories. It’s not all bright colors, it can be darkness as well.
As mentioned before, the first episode has a strong pacing that leaves you wanting more. While the first episode is packed with multiple storylines that get us ready for what is coming in the series, it doesn’t feel like too much into one episode. It may be easy to get lost with everything happening and the history behind the series, but doing your research and paying close attention to subtitles will help audiences get every detail in.
Related article: – Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
Related article: Improvs That Made The Final Cut: Seven Unplanned Great Moments In Cinema History | Oscars Week
WORTH THE WAIT
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has gone all out with the direction of this show. The creativity it takes to make this show come to life is absolutely incredible, and, as I mentioned earlier, his transition from feature films to streaming series has been seamless. Bhansali has been known to go all out in his direction, with films like ‘Padmaavat’ being an epic extravaganza. While musical series have not been as prominent or popular since the ‘Glee’ era, I feel as if ‘Heeramandi’ is its own brand of musical series. The direction helps lead it to the nostalgic and big ideas that musical films have always strived to be, rather than many of the toned-down versions of musicals that have been hitting our screens in recent years.
The performance from Manisha Koirala is stunning in this series. Her portrayal of Mallikajaan, the chief courtesan of ‘Heeramandi’, is haunting as she channels these different aspects of her character. She is ruthless and competitive but has elements of tough love behind her hard exterior. Koirala is the absolute force and heart of this series, as she pulls you into the story from the moment she is on screen. The reunification of her acting, paired with Bhansali’s direction was well worth the 28-year wait, as she fits right in perfectly with his maximalist direction. Is it too soon to say Meryl Streep of Bollywood? This is not her first time being lauded on Hollywood Insider, as Manisha’s powerhouse talent has been highlighted by The Hollywood Insider in the film “Dil Se” for which the director Mani Ratnam had been awarded the Masters of Cinema Award – featuring music by the maestro and Oscar winner A. R. Rahman – read all about it here.
Bhansali and Koirala might be from Bollywood, but they are here to shake up Hollywood and rule it together. As director and muse, or rightfully King of Bollywood and Queen of Bollywood – or more accurately, Mallikajaan.
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Ryan Gosling Role From 1995 to 2020, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Henry Cavill Role From 2001 to 2021, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Chris Evans Role From 1997 to 2020, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
Overall, ‘Heeramandi’ is a nostalgic, and innovative new series that reminds you of old favorite films, while pulling you in for a new storyline. The anticipated series is one not to be missed on Netflix, especially due to the team of Koirala and Bhansali, some of the most prominent artists of today. While this series symbolizes a new era of entertainment, the nostalgic and extravagant elements help bring back what fans truly love about entertainment.
Cast: Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal | Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Writer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Producers: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Prerna Singh | Cinematography: Sudeep Chatterjee, Mahesh Limaye, Huenstang Mohapatra, Ragul Dharuman | Editing: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
By Abigail Johnson
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
More Interesting Stories From The Hollywood Insider
– Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
– A Tribute to Martin Scorsese: A Complete Analysis of the Life and Career of the Man Who Lives and Breathes Cinema
– Do you know the hidden messages in ‘Call Me By Your Name’? Find out behind the scenes facts in the full commentary and In-depth analysis of the cinematic masterpiece
– A Tribute To The Academy Awards: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | From Rami Malek, Leonardo DiCaprio To Denzel Washington, Halle Berry & Beyond | From Olivia Colman, Meryl Streep To Bette Davis & Beyond
– In the 32nd Year Of His Career, Keanu Reeves’ Face Continues To Reign After Launching Movies Earning Over $4.3 Billion In Total – “John Wick”, “Toy Story 4”, “Matrix”, And Many More
Author
You might also like…
Abigail Johnson is a New York City-based writing intern, screenwriter, actor, and director. Her main focus is women in the entertainment industry and authenticity, especially advocating for diverse storytelling and new perspectives. Abigail loves discovering indie films that may not be seen in a traditional movie theatre, as well as listening to pop music and trying to find the next big artist. Abigail connects to Hollywood Insider’s values of substance over scandal and focusing on compassion and philosophy in her writing at Hollywood Insider. Utilizing writing for good is the main Hollywood Insider value that Abigail connects with, as her main goal is to use her talents for good.
Abigail Johnson is a New York City-based writing intern, screenwriter, actor, and director. Her main focus is women in the entertainment industry and authenticity, especially advocating for diverse storytelling and new perspectives. Abigail loves discovering indie films that may not be seen in a traditional movie theatre, as well as listening to pop music and trying to find the next big artist. Abigail connects to Hollywood Insider’s values of substance over scandal and focusing on compassion and philosophy in her writing at Hollywood Insider. Utilizing writing for good is the main Hollywood Insider value that Abigail connects with, as her main goal is to use her talents for good.
