Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut web series, 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,' has taken the global streaming platform by storm. While some have criticised the series, others have been bowled over by the stunning visuals of the show. Much of the series was inspired by true events from history and also from real incidents from the director's life.
Did you know that the strained relationship between Tajdar (Taha Shah Badussha) and his father (Ujjwal Chopra) was inspired by Bhansali's uneasy relationship with his father?
In an interview with Pinkvilla, SLB revealed that the tense father-son scenes were inspired by his own life. He remarked, "I believe that many scenes reflect the life a filmmaker has led. All the impressions from what they've gone through, how they've reacted, what they've suffered, enjoyed, loved, achieved, and not achieved are evident in their work."
He expressed his gratitude for his profession, as it enabled him to convey various emotions. He noted that, like all father-son dynamics, these relationships are often strained yet friendly, marked by differences of opinion, which is what shapes characters.
Bhansali further added that everything becomes part of how one reacts, leading to the choice of a particular subject as it allows for the expression of personal life experiences.
SLB expressed his firm belief that individuals choose the life they are born into because they need to experience it to become who they are meant to be. He said that he chose his life, including all the experiences with his parents, and eventually realized that he uses all those experiences in his work in some way or another.
The filmmaker further added that his work serves as a cathartic outlet, allowing him to express and purge himself of all he has seen and experienced.
'Heeramandi' is set in Lahore, during the pre-independence era, and chronicles the life of tawaifs of the red-light district area.
It stars Manisha Koirala, Richa Chadha, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman, Taha Shah Badussha, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Fardeen Khan and Aditi Rao Hydari in pivotal roles.
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