Netflix CEO Thought Sanjay Leela Bhansali Pitched Heeramandi To Hear A No: 'It's So Big'

News18

3 hours ago

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Netflix's Ted Sarandos reveals Sanjay Leela Bhansali's bold Heeramandi pitch felt like a 'dare' as he opens up on the show's massive vision and journey.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali decided to bring his signature grandeur to a streaming platform in 2024 and it turned heads. Known for his larger-than-life filmmaking, Bhansali had never made a series before. So when he pitched Heeramandi to Netflix, it wasn't just another meeting—it felt like a bold move.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, who was personally involved in the greenlighting process, shared how Bhansali presented his vision. 'Heeramandi was probably one of the most creatively interesting projects I've worked on in India. I was involved in the greenlighting meetings for it. He (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) came to LA to do the pitch. He came in with this very big vision. Honestly, it almost felt like a dare—like he was saying, 'I dare you to make this; it's so big. He's a legend of cinema, so the idea of him making a TV Show was unheard of. I thought he came for us to say no. And then, when we said yes, there were lots of delays. It was a complicated production."
Announced back in 2021, Heeramandi took nearly three years to complete and finally premiered in May 2024. Staying true to his cinematic style, Bhansali insisted on using massive real-life sets instead of digital backdrops, bringing old-school charm to modern streaming.
'He built these enormous, practical sets that we shot on. There was something beautifully old-fashioned about every element of the production. And he was so proud of it. I was so proud of him. To me, Heeramandi is a true reflection of India's deep, enduring love for cinema," Sarandos said during his chat on the WTF podcast hosted by Nikhil Kamath.
About Heeramandi
Set in Lahore during the pre-Partition era, Heeramandi tells a fictional story centered around the lives of courtesans in the city's red-light district. Bhansali first came up with the idea in 2007 as a feature film. He even considered casting Pakistani stars like Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Imran Abbas for the project. However, those plans were dropped after a 2016 unofficial ban on Pakistani artists in India.
Eventually, the cast was led by Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, and Taha Shah Badussha— each playing a part in Bhansali's grand vision for the screen.