Renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has heaped praises on Sanjay Leela Bhansali after indulging in his debut web series, "Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar." Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Shekhar also commended actor Manisha Koirala's performance. He lauded Netflix for finally providing "Indian filmmakers budgets they deserve."
In a tweet, Shekhar wrote, "Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s cinematic art is so seductive. He pulls you into his world and mesmerizes you. His images stayed with me long after I binge watched the whole of #Heeramandi in one go.. and what an effective performance by Manisha Koirala @mkoirala. Finally #Netflix is giving Indian filmmakers budgets they deserve."
However, not all reactions were as enthusiastic. One user expressed disappointment, stating, "I found it completely bland and somehow every character is struggling to put up with SLB's stature...Thanks to aura, background, choice of colors and everything else which makes a SLB movie, THE SLB MOVIE is top-notch in Hiramandi as well...But delivery is disappointing."
Another tweet criticized the series, branding it as "Nothing but superficial gloss! Very poor content!" While another X user emphasized the need to move beyond glorifying the world of brothels and forced prostitution.
Responding to the mixed feedback, Bhansali acknowledged the varied responses from the audience, stating, "There are things in the characters that connect to people in my work. That is why they talk about it. A lot of people like it, a lot of people don’t like it. It’s a part of a give-and-take with an audience and filmmaker. I don’t mind being loved when they give me love, and I don’t mind quite being criticized when they don’t connect to my work.”
"Heeramandi" boasts a star-studded cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Adhyayan Suman, Shekhar Suman, Fardeen Khan, Sanjeeda Shaikh, and Taha Shah Badussha. Set against the backdrop of the Indian freedom struggle of the 1940s, it promises an epic saga of love, power, revenge, and freedom. "Heeramandi" has been available for streaming on Netflix since May 1.