Netflix's Heeramandi: Sanjay Leela Bhansali reveals he wanted to cast Rekha, Kareena Kapoor & Rani Mukerji, Fawad Khan & Mahira Khan were also...

After a long wait and humongous buzz, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious project Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is finally releasing today on Netflix. While the expectations from this magnum opus are sky-high, at the Los Angeles premiere of the web show, the filmmaker revealed that earlier he wanted to make it as a movie with Rekha, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Rani Mukerji. He added that Heeramandi has been with him for 18 years, but since the story was expensive it didn’t materialise into a movie.

“Rekha, Kareena and Rani were my first choices for Heeramandi.” - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
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“This was 18 years ago so at one point it was Rekha ji, Kareena and Rani Mukerji. Then it changed into another cast, then it changed into another cast,” said SLB at the premiere while talking to Lily Singh adding that Heeramandi was “supposed to be a film.”

Faredaan ka inteqaam aur Mallikajaan ka guroor, jab aamne saamne aayenge, tab khulenge is kahaani ke saare pehelu! 💎👑

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar premieres 1st May, only on Netflix! pic.twitter.com/CGi3dSOVsv

— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) April 26, 2024

The filmmaker also revealed that he considered casting Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas in the show, but “then it all changed.”

Heeramandi features  Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah, Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman among others.

Last month, Netflix hosted a star-studded grand premiere of Heeramandi, which was attended by Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Rekha and Genelia Deshmukh, among others.

Genelia praised _Heeramandi_ as she wrote on her Instagram story, “Just saw 2 episodes of Heeramandi and it has me craving for more. What a world, what a journey you take us through to Sanjay Sir. Mesmerised as always. Loved, loved, loved the entire cast and what a super effort by the crew too. Netflix, this is truly special.”