Did Heeramandi aim at becoming Indian version of The Crown? Netflix India content head reveals Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s plan

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi made waves after its release for all the right reasons. The Netflix show was widely praised for the storyline, impeccable performances, SLB's signature grandeur, and many more. But did you know the Aditi Rao Hydari and Manisha Koirala starrer was aimed at becoming the Indian version of The Crown? Yes, you read it right! Netflix’s Vice President of Content, Monika Shergill, spilled the beans on the filmmaker’s initial plans.

In a conversation with IndiaTV ShowBiz, Monika Shergill shared that Sanjay Leela Bhansali was considering Heeramandi as a ‘cinema,’ and even the script was written keeping the same in mind. She shared, “He had a thing in mind that this has to be The Crown from India. That's what Heeramandi was shaped as.”

Monika shared that the show was set in a different time and place but carried ‘relevant’ emotions and admitted that such universal themes not only worked in the country but globally. She revealed that SLB composed the music of the series himself and made his cinema ‘grander and more closer to people’s hearts.’ However, the Netflix India content head admitted that he didn’t compromise on anything to make his show give a proper cinematic experience. 

Talking about working with the eminent filmmaker, she called it ‘the best time.’ She shared that he isn’t just a creator but a phenomenal person who adds details to everything. Monika Shergill added, “He put effort into understanding streaming as a medium and the feedback he took multiple times over to ensure that he was catering to the streaming audiences in the way they like to be catered to without compromising on his storytelling.”

Monika also highlighted how streaming platforms have opened up new creative avenues for filmmakers and storytellers, offering them the freedom to experiment with genre blends, extended narratives, and multi-season arcs.

Unlike cinema, where characters may be immortalized but remain confined to a single storyline, streaming allows audiences to revisit and re-experience those characters and moments endlessly. She shared that Sanjay Leela Bhansali also embraced this opportunity, choosing a longer format to bring his vision to life in a more immersive way.

For the unversed, Sanjay Leela Bhansali made his OTT debut with the Netflix show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The series stars Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Taha Shah, Richa Chadha, Fardeen Khan, and more in pivotal roles.

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