Sanjay Leela Bhansali Reveals THESE Pak Actors Were Considered For Heeramandi

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s highly-anticipated series, Heeramandi, is set to release today, May 1. The series, debuting on Netflix, stars Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari and Manisha Koirala in the lead. However, in a recent interview, Bhansali revealed that they were not the first choices for the series. The filmmaker confessed that he wanted Rekha and Kareena Kapoor in the project. Mahira Khan was also being considered for the project, he revealed. Bhansali added the series was originally planned as a film.

The Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam director made the confession in Los Angeles during the series’ premiere. In a video surfaced on Reddit, Bhansali was asked if the current cast were his first choices. The director revealed Heeramandi was planned 18 years ago and as a movie. “This was 18 years ago, at one point it was Rekha ji, Kareena and Rani Mukerji,” Bhansali revealed.

“Then it changed into another cast. It was Mahira Khan, the Pakistani actress, at one point, with Imran Abbas and Fawad Khan. But that changed…” he added.

Watch the video below:

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar now stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Sehgal and Sanjeeda Sheikh as tawaifs. The series also stars Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman in the roles of the Nawabs.

The trailer was released earlier last month and it transported fans to a time when courtesans reigned as monarchs. Through the stories of courtesans and their clients, set against the turbulent backdrop of the Indian Independence struggle in the 1940s, the series investigates the cultural reality of the namesake area of Heera Mandi.

Netflix India hosted a grand premiere last month and several stars such as Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Rekha and Genelia Deshmukh, among others, attended the premiere. Genelia was among the first ones to share her review of Heeramandi. She took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo with the acclaimed filmmaker along with her review.

“Just saw 2 episodes of Heeramandi and it has me craving for more. What a world, what a journey you take us through to Sanjay Sir. Mesmerised as always. Loved, loved, loved the entire cast and what a super effort by the crew too. Netflix, this is truly special,” she wrote.