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Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language period drama television series created and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Set in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore during the Indian independence movement, the series explores the lives of and their intersection with political and personal struggles under British Empire. The ensemble cast includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, and Taha Shah Badussha.
The series premiered on Netflix on 1 May 2024 and received mixed reviews from critics. In June 2024, it was renewed for a second season.
At the 2024 Filmfare OTT Awards, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar received a leading 17 nominations, including Best Drama Series, Best Director in a Drama Series (for Bhansali), and Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (for both Chadha and Sheikh), and won 5 awards, including Best Actress in a Drama Series (for Koirala).
In a 2023 conversation with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Bhansali described Heeramandi as his "biggest project," and cited Mother India (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), and Pakeezah (1972) as key influences on the series’ tone and visual aesthetic. Costume designers Rimple and Harpreet Narula noted that the wardrobe for the series drew inspiration from the styles of vintage film personalities such as Patience Cooper, Suraiya, Swaran Lata, Noor Jehan, Shamshad Begum, and Mukhtar Begum. In a separate interview with Lilly Singh, Bhansali revealed that he had initially hoped to cast Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Imran Abbas, but plans were shelved due to the prevailing ban on cross-border artistic collaborations between India and Pakistan.
Each classical composition is choreographed to feature members of the principal cast, often as part of mujra performances. "Tilasmi Bahein" is performed by Sonakshi Sinha, while "Phool Gendwa Na Maaro" and "Saiyaan Hatto Jaao" are picturized on Aditi Rao Hydari. "Chaudhavi Shab" features Sharmin Segal, "Nazariya Ki Maari" is performed by Sanjeeda Sheikh, and "Masoom Dil Hai Mera" by Richa Chadha. The songs "Sakal Ban" and "Azadi" include appearances by most of the primary female cast.
Shilajit Mitra of The Hindu described the series as "stunning to behold," citing its expansive production values. Dhaval Roy of The Times of India noted that while the series "might feel like a long watch," its cinematic quality "will linger on long after its conclusion."
Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost awarded the series 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a treat to the eyes" and "a lesson of history." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave it 3 stars, commending Sanjay Leela Bhansali's thematic ambition and observing that, amid the show’s opulence, it promotes the subcontinent's syncretic cultural heritage—a theme he deemed particularly relevant in contemporary India.
Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com rated the series 3 out of 5, writing that it "mirrors Bhansali’s film-making’s finest and frustrating features," reflecting both artistic grandeur and narrative excess. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the show 2.5 stars, commenting that while Bhansali’s signature visual flair is evident, the story aims to portray the lives of courtesans who were once central to Indian popular culture.
Classical dancer and founder of The Courtesan Project, Manjari Chaturvedi, criticized the series for conflating tawaifs with prostitutes, arguing that it fails to accurately portray the educational and cultural significance of historical courtesans. She also expressed concern that the show neglects essential references to the authentic tawaif tradition.
| + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Date of the ceremony ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Recipients ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | |
| Indian Film Festival of Melbourne | 16 August 2024 | Best OTT Series | Heeramandi | |||
| Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards | 6 October 2024 | |||||
| Best Original Song | ||||||
| Filmfare OTT Awards | 1 December 2024 | Best Drama Series | Heeramandi | |||
| Best Director in a Drama Series | Sanjay Leela Bhansali | |||||
| Best Actress in a Drama Series | Manisha Koirala | |||||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Richa Chadha | |||||
| Sanjeeda Sheikh | ||||||
| Best Original Story (Series) | Moin Beg | |||||
| Best Original Screenplay (Series) | Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Vibhu Puri | |||||
| Best Original Dialogue (Series) | Divya Nidhi and Vibhu Puri | |||||
| Best Background Music (Series) | Benedict Taylor and Naren Chandavarkar | |||||
| Best Original Soundtrack (Series) | Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Raja Hasan, and Sharmistha Chatterjee | |||||
| Best Production Design (Series) | Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Roy | |||||
| Best Cinematographer (Series) | Sudeep Chatterjee, Mahesh Limaye, Huenstang Mohapatra, and Ragul Herian Dharuman | |||||
| Best Costume Design (Series) | Rimple, Harpreet Narula, and Chandrakant Sonawane | |||||
| Best VFX (Series) | Vinay Singh Chuphal (FutureWorks) | |||||
| Best Editing (Series) | Sanjay Leela Bhansali | |||||
| Best Sound Design (Series) | Sanal George | |||||
| Asian Academy Creative Awards | 3–4 December 2024 | Best Actress in a Leading Role (India) | Manisha Koirala | |||
| Best Cinematography (Fiction) (India) | Sudeep Chatterjee | |||||
| Best Visual or Special FX (TV or Feature Film) (India) | FutureWorks |
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