In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi’, Manisha plays Mallikajaan, the head of a house of courtesans in pre-Independence India.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Manisha Koirala collaborated for the first time when he directed songs for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’ magnum opus ‘1942 A Love Story’. Manisha then played the female lead in Bhansali’s directorial debut ‘Khamoshi-The Musical’ in 1996. The film, which also starred Salman Khan, went on to garner critical acclaim. Now after a long gap of 28 years, Manisha and SLB are reuniting for Bhansali’s debut OTT debut on Netflix, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’.
Of course, there’s a massive difference between ‘Khamoshi’ and ‘Heeramandi’, in terms of the sets, the style of filmmaking, the sets, the costumes and much more. From ‘Khamoshi’ to films like ‘Devdas’ and ‘Padmaavat’ among others, SLB’s films have become bigger and better, and more opulent.
When Manisha was asked about the difference she felt while working with Bhansali on ‘Khamoshi’ and now ‘Heeramandi’, she exclusively told Outlook India, “Basically, Khamoshi was shot beautifully and it was a sensitive topic to deal with. It is one of my best films till date. Bombay, Dil Se, Khomoshi – they all come in that category for me, and is one of my favorite films. Over the time, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made bigger films with opulence and grandeur, and so beautiful. I loved Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, it had some beautiful moments. But Heeramandi is a mega project, in that sense with so much drama. Coming to his style, he is a great filmmaker and he has a lot more in him that he has showcased till date.”
In ‘Heeramandi’, Manisha plays Mallikajaan, the head of a house of courtesans in pre-Independence India, and has dark shades to her character. She added, “If you see his art, he has done Khamoshi on one level and Heeramandi on another level. Both the places, he’s scored 100 out of 100. In my eyes, a lot more will come out in future, and the way he pays attention to details, whether in performance or art decor, jewelry, makeup – he has got more sense than all of us.”
Manisha further showered praise on the filmmaker, and said, “He eats, breathes, and sleeps cinema and is constantly creating. He is the first one on the set and the last one to leave. For him, his life is cinema, he is constantly bettering himself, and constantly pushing him and other people to excel. We all are enamoured by his capacity, and he would manage to shock us and awe us every time.”
Lastly, she shared her key takeaway from ‘Heeramandi’ and the Bhansali set, and signed off, “He never gives up till what he believes is a perfect shot. I would take this with me in my next project, in my life. Never say no until you are satisfied that this is your best.”
‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, which also features Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sonakshi Sinha, and Aditi Rao Hydari, is set amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the Indian Independence movement against the British Raj while narrating the lives of tawaifs in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore.