Entertainment

Is Heeramandi Based on a True Story? Everything About the Indian Netflix Series

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6m ago

May 16, 2024 / 7298 Views

Evan Walker

Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar has left audiences around the world enthralled with its grandeur. Not many know, that the show is based on real-life incidents. Here’s a look at the true story that inspired the script of the series starring some of Bollywood’s well-known actresses.

Known for his larger-than-life sets and spectacular stories, Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) has always impressed the audience with his craft. So when his new Netflix series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, was released, it got fans excited to see the magic that the filmmaker and producer showcased in his debut web series. Apart from SLB’s name, the show’s cast makes it worth a watch.

The cast includes stellar performers like Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, Adhyayan Suman and Shekhar Suman. The series premiered on Netflix on 1 May 2024.

Ever since the release of the trailer some time ago, the web series has become the talk of town. The fact that the story is based on real-life incidents, makes Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut series even more fascinating for the fans.

The true story behind Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar

Set in the 1940s against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement against the British Raj, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first OTT show revolves around the lives of the courtesans living in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore and the tale of love and betrayal in their lives. Here are a few incidents that have acted as a reference for the script.

The real story of Heeramandi

Heeramandi is a popular neighbourhood and bazaar in the Walled City of Lahore, specifically known as the city’s red light district. During the Mughal period, Heeramandi was a song and dance community based on the Tawaif culture. It later turned into a red-light district during the British colonisation. The area was set up by Hira Singh Dogra, the prime minister of Punjab during the reign of Sher-e-Punjab, Ranjit Singh. He thought that apart from housing Tawaifs, the Shahi Mohallas in the heart of the city should be used as an economic hub. He established a grains market in the neighbourhood, commonly known as ‘Hira Singh di Mandi’. The world heera, which means diamond in Urdu, is also thought to describe the dancers of the area.

How did Heermandi become a red-light area?

During the Mughal reign, the women were mainly brought from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan for entertainment. Attendants and servants of the royal court and the Emperor used to live in an area south of the Lahore Fort. The area became their residential neighbourhood, commonly referred to as “Shahi Mohalla” or “Royal Neighbourhood”. The area also became home to Tawaifs during the 15th and 16th centuries. They used to perform Indian classical dance, Kathak and mujra for the audience. They also used to recite poetry and were trained by art teachers or ustads. However, everything changed during the British rule.

British colonial rule established Heera Mandi’s stature as a hub for prostitution. The patrons at Heeramandi were no longer emperors and nobles, but wealthy men from the city. It was during this time that the area earned its nickname “Bazaar-e-Husn” (Market of Beauty). The brothel houses were then developed in old Anarkali Bazaar, Lohari Gate and then Taxali Gate by the British for the recreation of their soldiers during the British Raj.

The aftermath of the partition

Many young and attractive Tawaifs from Heeramandi were roped in to act in films by Pakistani filmmakers. They joined the Lollywood industry and gained fame and wealth. Many dance classrooms and music classrooms opened up in Heermandi. However, during his reign from 1978–1988, President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq kickstarted an operation against the music and dance houses, which allegedly were dens of prostitution. Prostitution was outlawed in Heeramandi and the area then saw the rise of food streets, restaurants and shops. The tale of these courtesans will be a part of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed Netflix show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.

Did you know?

The idea of making this project was given to Bhansali by Moin Baig. It was some 14 years ago when Moin came to SLB with this idea. However, the filMMAker could not work on the script as he was busy with Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit starrer Devdas (2002). SLB went to work on films like Saawariya (2007), Guzaarish (2010) and Bajirao Mastani (2015), suggesting that Heeramandi might not see the light of the day. Baig even took the script back from Bhansali and never did anything about it. The show was officially announced in April 2021.

The trailer of Heeramandi

If you missed the chance to check out the breathtaking trailer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi on Netflix, here is a glimpse of the eight-episode series.