Is Heeramandi 2 on the cards? Sanjay Leela Bhansali reacts

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s _Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaa_r, which premiered on Netflix, has opened to rave reviews across the globe. While fans are in awe of the larger-than-life web series and wish for the second season, SLB feels that ‘it can be made only once’.

“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,” said SLB in the latest featurette released on IMDB.

He added, “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.”

The filmmaker revealed what drew him to the story of Heeramandi and said, “The plight of the courtesans, 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.”

Starring Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal in key roles, Heeramandi also features Shekhar Suman, Fardeen Khan, Adhyayan Suman, Taha Shah Badusshah and Indresh Malik in supporting characters.