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Sanjay Leela Bhansali is working on a project about Lahore's Heera Mandi

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is working on a project about Lahore's Heera Mandi

While Alia Bhatt might be playing one lead, others on the verge of confirmation reportedly include Aishwarya, Madhuri and Deepika
08 Jan, 2021

You'd think after a superhit like Padmavat, renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali would be taking a break and resting it up — but the man is already onto his next passion project.

Exploring the hidden culture of the red light area in the walled city of Lahore, the Ram-Leela director is all geared up for his next, titled Heera Mandi.

Make no mistake, the project, while a similar theme, is different from his upcoming film Gangubai Kathiawadi, which traces the journey of a madam residing in a brothel in Kamathipura by the same name.

However, for this one, Vibhu Puri, Bhansali’s former assistant, has been roped in for direction.

While no date has been announced regarding when the shoot will commence, news regarding casting has already been doing rounds.

“Bhansali is personally overlooking the casting for the project,” stated a report. “Though officially his former assistant Vibhu will be directing Heera Mandi, SLB’S stamp will be evident in every frame.”

While Alia Bhatt might be finalised as one lead, reports suggest that others on the verge of confirmation could include Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Deepika Padukone, Parineeti Chopra, Manisha Koirala or Vidya Balan.

Expected to debut digitally on Netflix, it is still unclear whether the upcoming project will be a short web series or a film. Either way, we can't wait to see what's in store.

Comments

ahmad Jan 08, 2021 12:25pm
And trust me this will be the fakest depiction of Lahore you will see on screen.
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M. Emad Jan 08, 2021 12:33pm
Got quite the slap from Hindu fanatics after Padmavati.
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M. Emad Jan 08, 2021 12:36pm
Punjab-Lahore's Heera Mandi remnant of a medieval North-West Indian 'culture'.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 08, 2021 12:36pm
My Lahoreś the then Hira Mandi has produced many renowned artists in past as artists there used to learn to sing professionally. A world of its own,with its own happiness, civilization ,sadness,dejections,hopes and many more valuable emotions. An inevitable part of cuture. I am glad someone chose this theme which has been a reality for us for centuries.
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Anonymouseee Jan 08, 2021 01:06pm
Mumbai’s red light district is even bigger.
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k k tiwari Jan 08, 2021 01:11pm
Hope it is shot partially in Lahore
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Fastrack Jan 08, 2021 01:22pm
Pakistan lost interest in Bollywood trash a few years back. And now Bollywood is having the worst year ever.
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Kashif Abbasi Jan 08, 2021 01:24pm
I hope and expect Sanjay will be depicting the true lahore and not the stereo type Pakistan shown in bollywood (every one with salutations assalamoalaikum janab, ppl wearing skull caps with scarves on shoulder) even the lahori accent is different and not the lakhnavi urdu accent Bollywood perceives, exists in Lahore ...
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Chrís Dăn Jan 08, 2021 01:40pm
@ahmad why? Our many those natives who witnessed those days are alive still or many of us born in inner traditional Lahore have childhood memories. Tragedy is that New Lahore since 4 decades is being taken over by people migrated to Lahore from nearby villages & do not know culture of real Lahore.Rather settlers from villages have changed Real Culture of City Lahore. Lahore City has her own culture&Hira Mandi is its integeral part.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 08, 2021 01:42pm
@Anonymouseee No. My Lahore has had a real traditional Hira Mandi. If you are not a native of Lahore,you can.not know it. Hira Mandi in our ancesstors times,was a great place for art and culture.
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Venkat Jan 08, 2021 01:47pm
@M. Emad in this subject both are OK.
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F Jan 08, 2021 01:47pm
Are topics from within India over ?
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Venkat Jan 08, 2021 01:48pm
@k k tiwari ..fully shoot ..partly will not be satisfying.
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Iftikhar Khan Jan 08, 2021 02:05pm
Heera Mandi has rich history in the art of music. A full length movie can be made just surrounding Ustad BaRe Ghulam Ali Khan. It would be nice to see recreation of his mesmerizing rendition of "sayyaN gaye pardes" and bhajan "hari om" in stereo and color. Then we had Noor Jahan, Shamshad Begum and Khurshid with learning music in Heera Mandi. This movie is long overdue.
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Imran Khan Jan 08, 2021 03:09pm
He should better work on Mumnbai red light area
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Omveer Singh Jan 08, 2021 04:31pm
Are you expecting some royalties for depiction of Lahore?
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Saleem Jan 08, 2021 05:02pm
He should focus on Sonagachi
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RationalBabu Jan 08, 2021 06:39pm
@Imran Khan you need to understand, this is not about current situation anywhere - it’s about depicting a bygone era!
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Ali Mehdi Jan 08, 2021 08:31pm
We have some big heroines from this area n they’re still a big name. To add true colour to the project it would be better if Sanjay has them as well in a leading role. Nobody can defeat the original version.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 08, 2021 10:50pm
@Ali Mehdi it s about past. Any great actress like Ms.Bechan or Ms. Bhat,or Ms. Chopra are talented to do any toughest role in Bollywood industry.
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Ali Mehdi Jan 08, 2021 11:01pm
@Kashif Abbasi agree with what you have said. The heroine has to be a tall n well built Jatti speaking in a heavy Punjabi accent n dancing on loud n lively punjabi songs. This is generally how that area is viewed.
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Ibrahim S Jan 08, 2021 11:12pm
Good news . It would hurt dearly those who are living in alternate reality on this country .
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M. Emad Jan 08, 2021 11:47pm
Many Pakistani actress/ singers/ dancers had 'Heera Mandi' connection.
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Sudhir Jan 09, 2021 12:55am
@Imran Khan There are better movies on Mumbai redlight area. Bhansali is a lousy film maker.
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Ahsan Gul Jan 09, 2021 01:25am
First why this ad is in Dawn as India doesn't allow our artists. Second don't we in Pakistan have our pride to say No to Indian movies? Sincerely
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AAA Jan 09, 2021 05:10am
@Chrís Dăn If it's culture then where is two nation theory ?, as that is the only fundamental difference between us and India and if you PTI folks support such culture then why have hatred towards India ?.
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Observer Jan 09, 2021 06:27am
@Fastrack Turkey or Egypt will not know what Hira Mandi is and how important it is for the sub continent. So, you have to go with the Bollywood. If you don't like don't watch it. There are millions of people in the sub-continent will have the fun.
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SATT Jan 09, 2021 10:23am
Indians are the most beautiful people on planet.
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Saif Zulfiqar Jan 09, 2021 11:34am
Just as Modi has banned Pakistani entertainers to take part in India, Indian entertainers should also be banned from taking part in Pakistan. I'm
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Rafeh Jan 09, 2021 12:53pm
Why don’t he focus on Mumbai slump and sex market rather then focussing on Pakistan .Indian will never going to change they live in different world
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Chrís Dăn Jan 09, 2021 01:15pm
@Rafeh our Hira Mandi has a historic value.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 09, 2021 01:18pm
@AAA india and Pakistan have extremely serious political conflicts. However it does not change reality that sub-continent basically has one main culture and even language Urdu was born &still being groomed in UP more than any part of sub-continent.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 09, 2021 01:19pm
@M. Emad so?what is the point?
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Parilikhi Anparh Jan 10, 2021 01:52am
Should be interesting founded by one of Raja Ranjit Singh’s concubines patronized by the Raj it has Indian origins we just got stuck with it.
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K Jan 10, 2021 07:25am
Significantly important part of lawhori culture.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 10:57am
@M. Emad 'Punjab-Lahore's Heera Mandi remnant of a medieval North-West Indian 'culture'. There is no such thing as 'North West Indian culture'. That was Awadh state. Heera mandi is not 'culture'.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 10:59am
Poor Indians have to bad mouth Pakistan in bollywood because in real life they can't do anything. Pakistan has put 'super power' India in the dust.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 10:59am
@Chrís Dăn wrong people chose this theme.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 11:00am
@Anonymouseee 'Mumbai’s red light district is even bigger.' Good point, why not a movie there, why pakistan.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 11:00am
@k k tiwari 'Hope it is shot partially in Lahore' Hope they send Abhinandhan, we will do the shooting.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 11:02am
@Fastrack 'Pakistan lost interest in Bollywood trash a few years back. And now Bollywood is having the worst year ever.' Absolutely correct. Now they are hoping by making films on pakistan, they will get attention, which is gone and will never come back.
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Zak Jan 10, 2021 11:04am
@Chrís Dăn '@Anonymouseee No. My Lahore has had a real traditional Hira Mandi. If you are not a native of Lahore,you can.not know it. Hira Mandi in our ancesstors times,was a great place for art and culture.' Past is past. The greatest time the South Asian subcontinent has seen was the Mughal era, down hill after that.
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k k tiwari Jan 11, 2021 03:57pm
@Kashif Abbasi Agrred Sir, true Lahore can not be possible now
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