Sanjay Leela Bhansali called ‘Heeramandi’ a very difficult project, and called the process of making it ‘taxing’.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s OTT debut ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ has been grabbing all the attention ever since it was released on Netflix on May 1. While fans and critics have been lauding the show, it has left everyone wondering if ‘Heeramandi’ season 2 is planned or not? However, going by Bhansali’s latest hint, it looks like there will not be a season 2 of the much-loved show.
In a latest featurette released on IMDB, Sanjay Leela Bhansali takes the viewers on a tour of the set of the series, while sharing details of its grandeur and the making. However, he called the entire process ‘taxing’, and said, “We’ve made it, I’ve enjoyed making it, and I’m thankful to God that we made it… It was a very difficult project. Nobody else will ever be able to make Heeramandi again, nor will I be able to make it again, because it happens once.”
Sharing how he had the idea for the series in his mind for over 20 years, Bhansali mentioned, “After every film, Heeramandi would come out. But I would say, it’s too vast, it’s too epic to be made into a two-hour film. Finally, the time came and we said, "let's make it into a series because that will do justice to the vastness of it.” He asserted how he wanted to make ‘three big-sized, four big-sized films’ in one series.
Further revealing how the plight of the courtesans drew him to the story, the filmmaker stated, “They were queens also, but they had personal angst. They have personal joys and celebrations, but there’s sadness and pathos. All of this has to be felt in the architecture. The set has to come alive when the actor walks in, it has to come alive. When the cameraman lights it, it has to come alive. I would want a certain kind of textile, and it comes alive when the cameraman lights it and the actor wears it. It’s very important to create a certain atmosphere. I would want a certain kind of music playing non-stop, constantly on the set.”
‘Heeramandi’, which boasts of an ensemble cast featuring Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal, is set in the pre-Independence era. The series also has Shekhar Suman, Fardeen Khan, Adhyayan Suman, Taha Shah Badusshah and Indresh Malik playing key roles.