The worst show of the year is one that came and went without anyone really noticing. What stands out is that ₹200 crores were spent making it, and it was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. You might have heard the name Heeramandi, but many people don’t even know that the show has already been released. Honestly, the fewer people who know about it, the better.
Cast
- Sanjeeda Sheikh
- Aditi Rao Hydari
- Sharmin Segal
- Manisha Koirala
- Sonakshi Sinha
- Richa Chadha
- Fardeen Khan
- Taha Shah Badussha
- Adhyayan Suman
- Shekhar Suman
- Farida Jalal
- Jayati Bhatia
- Fardeen Khan
- Jason Shah
- Nivedita Bhargava
Photos
Release Date
01 May 2024
Director
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Budget
₹200 Crores
Genre
- Drama
- Romance
- Triller
Rating
2 / 5
Overview
Bhansali is a director whose movies are usually talked about years before they even release. He is always surrounded by controversies and gets free publicity. But if a show made by him was released so quietly, even on the world’s biggest OTT platform, then something is seriously wrong.
Heeramandi is set during the time before India’s independence when India and Pakistan were still one country under British rule. However, there was one lane in Lahore that lived freely, and it was called Heeramandi. It was a place where kings and noblemen stood in line to visit. British people were not allowed because the real queen there was Mallika Jaan, not Queen Victoria. Mallika Jaan was so famous that even people living in Britain dreamed of being with her. But Mallika Jaan kept seeing dreams of her dead sister’s ghost, who, according to some people, still lives next door as a spirit.
One day strange things happen, and it feels like the ghost comes back to life in the streets of Heeramandi, with the same face and voice. But don’t worry, since this is a Bhansali show, it’s not just about horror and suspense. There are also love stories — complicated ones — like relationships between mothers and daughters, sisters, and even extra-marital affairs.
It is not very clear whether Heeramandi is a family-friendly show or not. But one thing is clear: don’t get fooled by all the glittery costumes and dances. This is not a fashion show. Heeramandi is a story about revenge — who takes it, from whom, and why — but that is not worth spoiling. There are many small stories inside the big story, but sadly, none of them are strong or memorable.
Heeramandi show goes on for about seven to eight hours, but the ending is obvious right from the first few minutes. Honestly, sitting through the whole thing feels like a waste of time. If someone like me can understand this, why couldn’t Bhansali? The simple reason is that some of the actors are personally connected to Bhansali’s family, and it feels like the entire show was made just to promote them. I am not attacking anyone personally, but if they can fool the public by showing random stars, then why can’t we openly say the truth?
It is really sad to see a genius like Bhansali bring such a boring show that looks beautiful but feels empty. You won’t find a show with less logic and sense in a long time. Things just happen randomly — people are dying, fighting the British, shouting slogans — but you won’t feel anything because everything happens so suddenly and without meaning.
Bhansali’s creativity is visible in the set design of Heeramandi, but when it comes to showing India’s freedom struggle, he completely fails. It becomes confusing when the show suddenly shifts from life in Heeramandi to the independence movement. People who once sold women are shown as heroes and motivational speakers, which feels very wrong. Sadly, Bhansali ends up glorifying the wrong people.
However, not everything is bad. Manisha Koirala’s performance is the only good thing in the entire show. She truly shines, and whenever she appears on screen, the show finally feels interesting. She is like the real diamond of Heeramandi. The rest of the cast just stands around looking like decoration pieces, and honestly, they leave no emotional impact.
Overall, Heeramandi is a boring and predictable show that fails to connect emotionally with the audience. It has beautiful visuals and Manisha Koirala’s great performance, but the bad story, unnecessarily stretched episodes, boring screenplay, forgettable music, and poor direction after a point spoil the experience. Watching it will make you realize that not everything that shines is gold. But if you want to sleep peacefully, just turn on Heeramandi, sit in a cool room, and relax.