In 1920 Lahore, at Heeramandi, Rehana, the authoritative tawaif of Shahi Mahal, obnoxiously trades her younger sister Mallika's child for an ornament. Devastated, Mallika swears vengeance. Twenty five years later, Gunther, an Englishman, introduces a gramophone to Mallika aka Mallikajaan, who has become the unimpeded madam of Shahi Mahal, and implores her to let him record the voice of Bibbo, her first born, but she discards him. Waheeda, Mallikajaan's sister, purloins a part of Bibbo's earnings. Mallikajaan disregards her younger daughter Alam's apathy towards becoming a tawaif and announces her forthcoming nath-utrai, i.e., her debut as a courtesan. Lajjo, Mallika's foster daughter, is deeply in love with her patron Zoravar Ali Khan and expects to marry him. Tajdar Baloch, the intellectual son of Nawab Ashfaq Baloch, has just returned from Oxford and at a gathering, he professes his hatred for Heeramandi and its customs and also for the British Raj. Alastair Cartwright, the newly recruited Superintendent of Police, solicits Mallika, asking for one of her girls to perform at his private party but she bluntly rejects his proposition, claiming that Shahi Mahal will lose its exclusivity if its tawaifs perform at a private party. A humiliated Cartwright seduces Ustaad, the eunuch pimp, to uncover Mallika's secrets. Meanwhile, Alam, an aspiring poetess, attends a recital at Tajdar's residence and stumbles upon him. While love blossoms between Mallika's servants Iqbal and Saima, Bibbo learns from her patron Wali Mohammad that Samuel Henderson, the Inspector General of Imperial Police, might be passing on shoot-at-sight orders in response to the brewing rebellion on streets against the British Raj. Revealed to be a rebel herself, Bibbo notifies Hamid, her chief, of Henderson's intentions and gives him a revolver. Tajdar and Alam come across each other amidst riots; Hamid rescues Tajdar from being shot by a policeman while Alam disappears.
2
"Fareedanjaan: The Challenger Returns"
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01)
In a flashback, Mallika strangulates an intimidating Rehana to death and stages it a suicide with the assistance of her patron and affair interest Zulfikar but leaves behind a witness, i.e., Rehana's daughter Fareedan. In the present, the residents of Shahi Mahal pay their respects to Rehana on her death anniversary. Waheeda asks Mallika for the possession of Khwabgah, a mansion presented to Rehana by a Nawab, Sammi Ali. Mallika delays the benefaction, citing that Sammi's widow has laid a claim for the inheritance of Khwabgah. Satto and Phatto, Mallika's attendants, discuss with Iqbal and Saima that a nine-year-old Fareedan was cruelly sold off to a merchant by Mallika. Meanwhile, Bibbo restrains Lajjo from pinning any hopes on Zoravar, revealing that he is about to marry a noblewoman. Lajjo visits Zoravar at a club and confirms Bibbo's contention regarding his wedding. Tajdar, having fallen in love with Alam, initiates a search for her. Zoravar summons an anguished Lajjo to perform at his wedding but she embarrasses him by confessing her feelings for him through her rendition, causing him to disrespect her. Mallika intercedes for Lajjo and condemns Zoravar, disclosing that he is her illegitimate son, who was sold off to a Nawab for adoption by Rehana. As Lajjo and Mallika depart, the former dies of grief in the buggy, devastating Mallika. To Mallika's surprise, a grown-up Fareedan attends the funeral and cautions Mallika about her imminent downfall.
In a flashback, a teenage Waheeda, disclosing herself to be a witness of Rehana's murder, demands Khwabgah from Mallika, threatening to incarcerate her and Zulfikar otherwise. An outraged Zulfikar assaults her, scarring her face. In the present, Mallika and Waheeda receive the verdict in their favour, taking over Khwabgah but Mallika, contradictory to what she had promised to Waheeda, hands over the mansion to Sammi's family, so as to prevent Fareedan from suing her. Nonetheless, Fareedan buys the mansion from Sammi's widow and prepares to organize her nath-utrai. Through Ustaad, Fareedan discovers about Alam's tiff with Mallika and Cartwright's animosity towards the latter. Elsewhere, Tajdar attends a pro-independence gathering hosted by Hamid, intending to join the rebellion. Fareedan begins to dupe Alam under the pretext of uniting her with Tajdar. Further, she attempts to entice Wali and seduces Cartwright with an appeal to reopen Rehana's murder case. Intimidated by Fareedan's move, Zulfikar threatens Mallika to find and destroy a file pertaining to Rehana's case, which contains incriminating evidence against them. Mallika remembers asking Waheeda to stash the file but she claims to have burned it. Mallika opposes Fareedan's nath-utrai, remarking that women, who have lost their virginity, are not supposed to do so but she proceeds with it nevertheless. To restrain the Nawabs from attending her nath-utrai, Mallika organizes Bibbo's final performance, which mandates their presence. Thus, Fareedan is left stranded on her big day, mourning her defeat.
4
"Alamzeb: The Innocent Pawn"
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Mitakshara Kumar Vibhu Puri
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01)
Wali visits a grieving Fareedan and becomes her patron. Mallika, feeling foreshadowed by Saima's talent in singing, decides to sell her to a mysterious buyer named Wajid Ali for a price of ₹10,000. Iqbal promises to earn the same amount within fifteen days to buy Saima's freedom and takes to gambling. Waheeda unveils her patron Feroz's interest in his daughter Shama and breaks down when Mallika declares Feroz as Shama's patron to appease him. Meanwhile, Hamid is unconvinced of Tajdar's sincerity towards the cause. Alam confides in Bibbo about Tajdar. Waheeda agrees to testify against Mallika and Zulfikar if she retains Khwabgah from Fareedan. Ashfaq discovers that Tajdar is involved with the rebels and warns him against it, emphasizing that their alliance with the British will uphold their social status. While Bibbo honey traps Henderson to grasp the government's secrets, Mallika has Iqbal apprehended by the police on grounds of gambling before he could earn the money. Alam implores Mallika to release Iqbal and agrees to have her nath-utrai done in exchange. In prison, Cartwright vainly tries to provoke Iqbal against Mallika and torments him. On the day of Alam's nath-utrai, she receives a misleading letter from Fareedan, which she believes to have been sent by Tajdar, asking her to elope from the ceremony. For Alam's sake, Saima surrenders herself to her buyers Wajid and Ali, revealed to be two different people. Alam ultimately runs away with Fareedan's help, causing a shattered Mallika to call off the event.
5
"Tajdar: The Lover's Dilemma"
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Mitakshara Kumar Vibhu Puri
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01)
Alam meets Tajdar at his residence and realizes that she has been betrayed; Tajdar refuses to accept her upon discovering her lineage and insists her to leave. However, he repents his actions and takes her in, introducing her to his family as a friend's sister. In Khwabgah, Fareedan hosts an obscene party to mock Mallika. At the Baloch residence, Alam rekindles her relationship with Tajdar and builds a good rapport with his paternal grandmother Qudsia Begum, who even contemplates getting her married to Tajdar. Waheeda tries to make Henderson as her patron but realizes that he has an affair with Bibbo. She meets Fareedan and reveals that she'd never burned the file, hoping to use it against Mallika and Zulfikar. Ustaad spots Alam at the market with Qudsia and notifies Mallika of it. Mallika pays a visit to the Baloch residence amidst the festivities of Eid al-Fitr, exposing Alam's true identity. Ashfaq clashes with Tajdar over his love affair with a tawaif's daughter and ousts him from the household.
6
"Tajdar & Alamzeb: Nation vs. Love"
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Mitakshara Kumar Vibhu Puri
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01)
Alamzeb and Tajdar arrive at Amrood Kothi, a bungalow left in Tajdar's possession by his late mother. Mallika goes on a voyage to Murree with Zulfikar while Waheeda retrieves the file from Shahi Mahal and hands it over to Fareedan but they are compelled to wait for fifteen days as Cartwright is told to have gone out of station. Alam eavesdrops on a conversation between Tajdar and his friend, discovering that he is a rebel but assures them that she will not come in his way. In Murree, Zulfikar gathers incriminating evidence against Fareedan and reveals to Mallika that she is a wanted criminal, having committed murder and arson at a very young age. Returning home, Mallika threatens Fareedan with the proof of her crimes, causing her to destroy the file. Deceived by Fareedan, an agonized Waheeda turns to Mallika and asks for forgiveness. Iqbal is freed from prison but he is told that Saima has run away. Bibbo, through Henderson, discovers that the army has shipped a consignment of Enfield rifles to Lahore. Hamid and his team plan to loot the ammunition; Tajdar schedules his wedding with Alam and hosts a party on the same account, with the intent of distracting the officials from the consignment. He leaves to execute the robbery while Fareedan, a guest of the party, explores Amrood Kothi and realizes that Tajdar is a rebel. After Hamid, Tajdar and his team successfully loot the ammunition, Fareedan reveals the culprits to Cartwright, asking him to incarcerate Mallika and Zulfikar in return. On the day of Alam and Tajdar's wedding, Cartwright carries out a raid on Amrood Kothi in the latter's absence and arrests Alam on grounds of rebellion. Compelled by Hamid, Tajdar reluctantly testifies against Alam at the police station.
7
"Bibbojaan: Long Live the Revolution"
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Mitakshara Kumar Vibhu Puri
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01)
Bibbo rebukes Mallika for leaving Alam to her own fate. Affected, Mallika visits the police stations and allows herself to be gang-raped by Cartwright and his colleagues in exchange for Alam's freedom. Fareedan, nevertheless, is disheartened by Cartwright's misconduct and states that a woman would never want it for another woman. While Mallika breaks down, Alam informs Bibbo about her pregnancy but tells her that she wouldn't want herself and her unborn child to be an obstacle for Tajdar's cause. Later, Bibbo notifies Tajdar of Alam's pregnancy and reprimands him for abandoning Alam. Repenting his actions, Tajdar apprises his father of his intentions to marry Alam and upon receiving no support from him, he departs to Heeramandi with Qudsia, so as to persuade Mallika to accept their relationship. Mallika agrees to orchestrate their wedding but threatens to have Alam's nath-utrai done if he doesn't make it on time on the wedding day. Ustaad enlightens Iqbal, Satto and Phatto that Saima has become a popular singer in Calcutta and also notifies Iqbal of Mallika's vile deeds, leaving him shattered. Bibbo invites Fareedan to Alam's wedding and she expresses her contentment for the first wedding of Heeramandi. Nevertheless, Ashfaq apprises the police of Tajdar's connection with the rebels and has him apprehended for a time being to resist the wedding from taking place. Contradictory to what Cartwright had promised to Ashfaq, he tortures Tajdar to comprehend the details of his fellow rebels. As the wedding procession doesn't arrive, Mallika asks Alam to gear up for her nath-utrai. Realizing that Tajdar has been arrested, Fareedan rushes to the police station and vainly pleads with Cartwright to free Tajdar. She helplessly witnesses Tajdar succumb to the torture and returns to Shahi Mahal, breaking the news of Tajdar's death to Bibbo, who stalls the event and notifies Alam of Tajdar's demise. An anguished Alam faints.
8
"Heeramandi: The Swan Song"
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Mitakshara Kumar Vibhu Puri
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01)
Alam visits Tajdar's grave and mourns his death. Cartwright and Henderson lie to Ashfaq that the rebels have assassinated Tajdar to save themselves from being exposed. Mallika and Fareedan make peace with each other; the former asks Fareedan to be her successor. Bibbo shelters her fellow rebels in Shahi Mahal with Mallika's support. Fareedan declares to Wali that she is willing to spend the rest of her life for the country's independence. Alam discloses to Qudsia that she is pregnant. Discovering that the tawaifs have been supporting the rebellion, the Nawabs boycott Heeramandi to be in the British government's good books. While Heeramandi loses its pomp and splendour, Bibbo motivates the tawaifs to fight for the country's Independence, asserting that none other than them are aware of the value of freedom. Hamid and the rebels plan to assassinate Henderson and Bibbo comes forward to execute the mission. She successfully shoots Henderson to death at a conference but Cartwright manages to kill Hamid and apprehends Bibbo. Mallika is informed of Bibbo's arrest and impending execution but she conveys her pride. Led by Mallika, Fareedan and Waheeda, all the tawaifs take to streets amidst a strict curfew and march towards the prison on the day of Bibbo's execution to express their support for the rebellion. Meanwhile, Alam visits Cartwright under the pretext of offering sex in exchange for money but shoots him down with a revolver given by Ustaad, avenging Tajdar's death. Elsewhere, the tawaifs manage to arrive at the prison, where they raise the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad" while a gratified Bibbo is shot and executed.
Production
Heera Mandi was officially announced in April 2021, as a project Bhansali had envisaged 14 years ago.[9] The eight-part series, which also marks Bhansali's first foray into streaming, began filming in June 2022.[10] Filming was reported to have ended a year later in June 2023, after Bhansali asked for reshoots in May.[11][12]Bollywood Hungama reported that Bhansali directed the pilot episode, while the rest of the episodes were directed by Mitakshara Kumar, who had worked as an associate director to Bhansali in Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat, replacing Vibhu Puri, who had previously been hired.[13]
In a 2023 interview with Netflix's CEO Ted Sarandos, Bhansali described Heeramandi as his "biggest project" and that the series would be a tribute to the films Mother India (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), and Pakeezah (1972).[14]
In an interview designers Rimple Narula and Harpreet Narula revealed that some of the creations for the series, were inspired from the style of Patience Cooper, Suraiya, Swaran Lata, Noor Jehan, Shamshad Begum and Mukhtar Begum.[15] In an interview with Lilly Singh, Bhansali also said that he wanted to cast Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas in the series but this did not materialise due to the ban on collaborating with actors from Pakistan.[16]
The first song from the soundtrack "Sakal Ban", composed by Bhansali, with lyrics written by Amir Khusro and sung by Raja Hasan, was released on 8 March 2024.[17] On 2 April, the second song "Tilasmi Bahein", sung by Sharmistha Chatterjee, was released.[18] The folk songs "Phool Gendwa Na Maaro" and "Nazariya Ki Maari" had earlier been used in the Bollywood films Dooj Ka Chand (1964) and Pakeezah (1972) respectively.[19] The soundtrack was released under the Bhansali Music label on 24 April 2024.[20]
Each classical composition has been picturized on every actor from the primary cast, mostly in the form of their mujra performances in the show. "Tilasmi Bahein" is picturized on Sonakshi Sinha, "Phool Gendwa Na Maaro" and "Saiyaan Hatto Jaao" on Aditi Rao Hydari, "Chaudhavi Shab" on Sharmin Segal, "Nazariya Ki Maari" on Sanjeeda Shaikh and "Masoom Dil Hai Mera" on Richa Chadha. "Sakal Ban" and "Azadi" include most of the primary female cast.
Release
A teaser of the series was released in February 2024, with a release date planned on Netflix for later in the year.[4][21] The following month, it was announced that the series would premiere on 1 May 2024.[22]
Reception
Viewership
During 29 April – 5 May 2024, Heeramandi was the second most-watched non-English show on Netflix globally.[23] It received 4.5 million views, with 33 million viewership hours in its debut week, breaking the record for the most-viewed Indian series in its first week of release.[24][25] It was trending at number-one in 10 countries and was among the top ten most-watched shows in 43 countries.[23][24]
Shilajit Mitra of The Hindu stated "Filmed on a massive budget, Heeramandi is stunning to behold."[27] Dhaval Roy of The Times of India commented "Heeramandi, overall, might feel like a long watch, but the cinematic experience will linger on long after its conclusion."[28]
Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost gave 4/5 stars and commended, "Bhansali's eight-part series is not only a treat to the eyes, but is a lesson of history too".[29]Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 3 stars and praised Bhansali's effort. Chatterjee remarked that in the current climate of India, the promotion of the subcontinent's deep-rooted syncretism is an important theme that should not be overlooked amidst the dazzling allure of the Heeramandi world that Bhansali creates.[30]
Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com rated 3/5 stars and observed "Heeramandi, a passion project that took off after years in development and planning, mirrors Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film-making's finest and frustrating features."[31]Shubhra Gupta for The Indian Express rated the series 2.5 stars and opined "Bhansali's world, awash with his trademark shine and glitter, sets out to tell us the story of these 'other' women, once such an integral part of Indian popular culture."[32]
Indian classical dancer, and founder of The Courtesan Project, Manjari Chaturvedi bemoaned that Heeramandi fails to clearly differentiate between tawaifs and prostitutes or sex workers, giving the misleading impression that tawaifs were uneducated women focused solely on manipulating others for sexual favours; she also noted that the show does not adequately reference the historical tawaif culture.[33] In Pakistan, the series received negative reception, with critcism levied against its historical inaccurracies as well as the Urdu pronunciation of the actors. Ahmad Ali Butt and Umera Ahmed criticized the series.[34][35][36]
Accolades
Awards and nominations
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
