After 25 years directing movies known for their massive scale and grandeur, Bollywood veteran Sanjay Leela Bhansali is making the switch to digital.
In a statement that came close on the heels of his career’s anniversary on August 9, Bhansali announced that he would be working on a series called ‘Heeramandi’ for Netflix.
“‘Heeramandi’ is an important milestone in my journey as a filmmaker,” he said in a statement. “It is an ambitious, grand and all-encompassing series; therefore I am nervous yet excited about making it. I am looking forward to my partnership with Netflix and bringing Heeramandi to audiences all over the world.”
Bhansali, 58, made his directorial debut with the 1996 movie ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’. He is best known for helming acclaimed movies such as ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, ‘Devdas’, ‘Bajirao Mastani’ and ‘Black’.
“It’s a very difficult one, I like to take a little time and the scale is big,” Bhansali said, according to Variety. “I live with a subject for a long time, then I build and build and I keep thinking of it… So it’s a lot of time I give to a particular idea, but it’s great fun. That’s how it finally emerges. So now I think I’m ready to make ‘Heeramandi.’”
Monika Shergill, VP, Content, Netflix India expressed her excitement at the Bhansali series.
“Sanjay Leela Bhansali has created a stunning brand of cinema which is uniquely his own, with emotionally charged storytelling, magnificent sets and unforgettable characters. We congratulate him on completing 25 phenomenal years and giving masterpieces for generations to cherish. We are beyond excited to bring his extraordinary creative vision to storytelling on Netflix. ‘Heeramandi’ will be a story that will intrigue audiences and transport them into a world of incredible grandeur, beauty and harshness at the same time,” she said.
Bhansali’s next movie is the biographical crime drama ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, starring Alia Bhatt in the lead role.
