Netflix hosted a special screening and Q&A with series creator, director, and producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, moderated by Lilly Singh to celebrate the upcoming the new series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
Created and directed by one of India’s most celebrated filmmakers, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is his first ever series premiering globally on May 1 only on Netflix.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s series debut marks the first Indian series to be showcased at the historic theater, The Egyptian. The evening began with opening remarks from Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria, followed by a screening of the first episode of the series and a lighthearted Q&A moderated by Lilly Singh. Notable attendees included Rushi Kota , Punam Patel, Nisha Ganatra, Joya Kazi, Tesher, Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, Kevin Kreider and many more.
“Set in pre-independent India against the backdrop of the freedom movement, Heeramandi is an epic saga of love, power, betrayal, struggle and, ultimately, freedom,” says Netflix about the series.
Bhansali, in a statement, added the series tells the story of “extraordinary women, their desires, and struggles”.
While “Heeramandi,” or diamond market in English, is an actual location in Lahore, Pakistan, Bhansali on multiple occasions has said that characters in the series are not based on real people.
ADVERTISEMENT
Heeramandi, Lahore’s oldest red-light district, was once a bustling entertainment district for royalty with seductive courtesans, music and dance.
In the evenings, buildings in the area, located just outside of the royal Lahore Fort, would be lit up as men would gather to watch the performances.
While Heeramandi is commonly associated with sex and prostitution, it was far from that at the peak of its existence. The courtesans were trained in music, etiquette and dance and the women of the area were a social symbol for the elite, with their presence at ceremonies a statement of class and wealth akin to Japan’s geishas.
Speaking to Bhansali, Lilly Singh shared her admiration for the series and revealed she was mesmerized after watching the two episodes of ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’. The personality stated “On behalf of all the audiences here, I can say that it was spectacular and so visually stunning.”
Bhansali discussed his time in production during the Q&A mentioning, “Working with Netflix on my first series was a completely different experience. In 30 years of my career, I have never met producers as beautiful as them. They are tough, and relentless, and ask for honest directors to create content with the same passion. It’s good karma as a filmmaker to meet such producers, and I’m grateful to them.”
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is all set to premiere on Netflix on May 1.
ADVERTISEMENT
