Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is gearing up for the release of debut web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, recently revealed that it took the makers nearly seven months to create the epic sets in Mumbai Film City. Yes, you read that right. He also said that it is the biggest set he has made in his life.
During an interaction with Architectural Digest, Bhansali shared interesting details about the three-acre set of Heeramandi and how he conceptualised it for as many as 18 years.
The set has the royal palace of Mallikajaan, Madam of the most powerful brothel in Heera Mandi. It also features the grand quarters of Fareedan, a rival courtesan played by Sonakshi Sinha. Besides, it also has a huge white mosque, a courtyard and a hall with water fountains.
Created by 700 craftsmen, the set also has shops, kothas and a hammam room. The filmmaker has given much attention to detail and the wooden doors and chandeliers used on the sets are 'handmade' under Bhansali’s supervision.
The portal further stated that the teak wood furniture dating back to the 1930s and 1940s was brought from an antique store in Ahmedabad and some sofas and tables used in the series have been purchased by Bhansali himself for his collection.
On making the huge set, Bhansali said, "When there are characters I love a lot, I create special spaces for them. My art directors are petrified when I call them. I chew their brains until I get things right. Making a good set requires lots of love and responsibility. Even the design of a single pillar comes from the depth of one’s imagination."
He added, "This is the biggest set I have made in my life. Because it's really that walls have been pushed way beyond what I thought. I feel I have started enjoying and understanding more and more as my filmmaking has progressed. I have started enjoying creating walls at a distance and further and further."
Heeramandi, starring Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman and Adyayan Suman among others, is all set to release on Netflix on May 1. The show created quite a buzz ever since it was announced, especially because of its stellar star cast.
Bhansali is all set to mark his web series debut with Heermamdi, which will show a world where courtesans were once queens. The character posters and trailer of the magnum opus promise a visual odyssey and a tale of power, love and freedom set against the backdrop of pre-independent India.
