It took 14 years for Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make Heeramandi. So, please don’t blame the filmmaker for giving himself the creative licence to let loose and go all out to create this world of nautch girls and their coterie. With eight episodes and each one clocking anywhere between an hour to 50 minutes, Heeramandi will reward those who are patient enough to stay focused through the multitude of storylines and characters thrown at us.
Set in the 1920s, the series revolves around Heeramandi and the women who own the nooks and corners of the palatial building. Amidst the crowd and chaos, there is a system and hierarchy in place. At the top of the family tree is Mallika Jaan (Manisha Koirala), who is the matriarch of Heeramandi. She is the queen bee and the others vie for her attention.
Mallika Jaan is not to be toyed with and Bhansali establishes that in the very first episode. Raw, unfiltered yet authentic and very protective of her clique, Mallika Jaan’s character comes to life because Manisha Koirala delivers one of her career best performances. She surrenders herself to Bhansali’s vision and follows every beat perfectly. Perhaps the best written character arc amongst women, she shines as bright as the diamonds hanging from her ears.
Sonakshi Sinha essays the double role of Fareedan/Rehana and is the nemesis who is out to destroy Mallika. There is history between these two women and scores have to be settled. But the task isn’t easy. Obstructing her path are Mallika’s nautch girls Lajjo (Richa Chadha), Waheeda (Sanjeeda Shaikh), Bibbo (Aditi Rao Hydari) and her very own daughter Alamzeb (Sharmin Segal Mehta). Almost like a game of chess, these women are ferociously chasing their dreams. Some want revenge, others attention from an estranged lover, another seeks to change the path of her destiny.
Bhansali has a knack of painting his men in equally interesting shades as his women. In Heeramandi, the men too have battles to fight. Tajdar (Taha Shah) seeks to fight for his love and his country, while Wali Mohammad (Fardeen Khan) is a man who realises he is destroyed in love. Bhansali’s men are also tyrants — There is Cartwright (Jason Shah), who leaves no stone unturned to humiliate and break the ego of Mallika Jaan and her clan.
Heeramandi is mounted on a huge scale. Parallel to the story of these women runs the track of independence from the British rule and the simmering fire of revolution. A case of being over ambitious, Bhansali’s weakest scenes and lowest points in the series come when the characters are torn between the two. Another flaw in the series is its pace. Some scenes feel over-indulgent, and the jump cuts from present to past story lines get slightly confusing.
Heeramandi is an actor’s delight, a performance-heavy series. Richa Chaddha’s Lajjo wins you over with her rawness, while Sanjeeda’s scar-laced act is all heart. Aditi looks like she was made to act in this. Her ethereal beauty compliments her character’s honesty. Sonakshi comes into her own very early in the series. She’s an absolute treat. Jayati Bhatia and Nivedita Bhargava are terrific as Mallika Jaan’s sidekicks, Satto and Phatto.
Bhansali is known to be a task master. He doesn’t settle for less. His movies are a testament to his passion and madness for cinema. The pages of Heeramandi will be etched in his opulent and star-studded universe for posterity. It might not be his best work, but at a time where VFX and remakes are taking precedent, it’s worth applauding a filmmaker who hasn’t succumbed to the pressures of conforming to the norm.
Heeramandi is currently streaming on Netflix.
Basant Kasayap is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Bollywood to regional cinema, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
