Cut The Drama, Here Are 5 Reasons Why You SHOULD Watch Heeramandi
'Heeramandi' does deserve more than just the charges of criticism involving scale, wasted energies & resources on massive sets, songs, actors, and most of all 'lack of depth in storytelling'.
New Delhi: 'Heeramandi' may not be everyone's cup of tea. Its pace, leading women actors from all generations, a story about stigma, involving courtesans and their lives from an equally infamous chapter of history: Heeramandi in Lahore, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Netflix series is to begin with, a cinematic exploration of red flags. And, the fact that women actors in such grandeur, scale and screen time get to do this on a major streaming giant when all we have seen is a passive-aggressive masculine expression of uncensored violence, nudity, sex, gore in action and words, from the time pandemic rolled in and consumption patterns changed, 'Heeramandi' does deserve more than just the charges of criticism involving scale, wasted energies & resources on massive sets, songs, actors, and most of all 'lack of depth in storytelling'.
From Sharmin Segal being called 'robotic', 'stoic', 'expressionless' to Bhansali being charged of making a superficial tale about patriotism wrapped in the guise of credible performances by an array of actors( from all generations), and historical inaccuracies, 'Heeramandi' has become a quagmire of endless memes, discussions, threads on social media platforms.
And, yet interestingly, this period epic drama continued to drive discussion and news headlines.
So, let's not discuss what has already been said, reeinstated and dusted.
Let's talk about why Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Heeramandi' is a relevant chapter in Indian cinematic history, its movement towards well-fleshed characters played by women, portrayal of violence and sex and more.
Here are five reasons why you SHOULD watch 'Heeramandi'
1. Women Actors
Well-sketched roles for women actors from diverse generations coming together on screen to tell a story about the power struggles, and a fight for freedom. Manisha Koirala, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sharmin Segal portray the roles of five very different yet powerful women in their own right, to tell the story of their characters.
For all that's wrong with mainstream Bollywood cinema showing empowered women in a particular, loud, ruthless or one-toned manner, 'Heeramandi' gives a glimpse of several shades of grey a woman actor can portray in the script-written depth to an extent that is generally not accorded to women actors until a flamboyant filmmaker with a sensitive masculinilty like Sanjay Leela Bhansali comes along.
2. Violence
Violence as content has been consumed vociferously by men over the centuries in various art forms. In cinema too, violence changed forms from 'theatre of cruelty' to newer and varied manifestations as art and society changed over the last century.
In recent times, violence on streaming platforms has become a topic of hot debate. In India too, violence consumption patterns in an era of non-censorship on streaming platforms like Netflix has been quite the platter of research and discussion.
From shows glorifying to decoding violence and exploring it in many physical and mental dimensions, violence has been an integral part of consumption in several desi shows.
In Bhansali's 'Heeramandi', violence also finds its uncensored calling when it comes to physical harm. However, for most parts, this is done in an aesthetic manner.
Take for instance the scene involving Sanjeeda( Waheeda)'s confrontation with Mallikajaan & Nawab Zulfikar( Manisha Koirala and Shekhar Suman). Waheeda gets the cut on her face in a manner that is not directly shown but felt with full intensity.
Violence sanitised or sensitised, that's' for audiences to decide, but Bhansali's attempt to forego full-frontal confrontation wherever possible can be traced in all of his filmography.( Some exceptions include parts of 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam')
3. Sex
Expectation may have it that a series about 'tawaifs', nautch girls in erstwhile Pakistan during the heat of Partition movement would have a lot of sexual content in it, but 'Heeramandi' like 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' proves to be the opposite.
Despite being made for an OTT giant that does not censor like the Censor Board of Film Certification in India, Bhansali remains true to his notion of portraying sex on screen.
Suggestive scenes that leave it to the audiences' imagination have always found a way on Bhansali's filmography. And, rather than diminish the effect, a sex scene that may have violence, passion or some such emotion, it only amplies the intensity of the desired intention.
Spoiler: Take Mallikajaan's rape for instance
4. Music
While contemporary music and background score have changed with the times in Bollywood, Bhansali holds on to the traditional style of filmmaking and composing music Hindi cinema has always been known for.
Despite not being a fan of Bhansali's musical choices, one has to commend the filmmaker for always trying to draw in from the rich , cultural archive of musical history Hindi cinema has always had, and trying to present it in a manner that it not just visually appeals to the audience.
Inspite of the ephermeral quality of Bhansali's musical compositions, their ability to portray emotion in a state that the narrative, dialogue and performance cannot, is unmatchable.
Like many of his other films, 'Heeramandi' is musically quite rich and splendid. And, this is not just because of 'Sakal Ban' but also because of the lyricism in dialogue, throwing around names of poetic 'genius' like Meer, Ghalib, and Niyazi, nailing the artistic expression in mujras through Kathak and more.
5. Production design and symmetry
While a Wes Anderson or a Stanley Kubrik's obsession with symmetry may be called auterishly genius with hordes of scholarship on the same, a Sanjay Leela Bhansali's astute sense of set design, framing shots and symmetry in a fashion not seen alot does not get credited alot.
'Heeramandi' is not just the perfect assemblance of antiquities bought from across India, but also a representation of details, on screen, almost overwhelming to process in a single watch of the show.
We as audiences may not know or care about 700 craftsmen working at Mumbai's Film City to make the 'Heeramandi' set on about 60,000 planks and metal frames for seven months.
We may not appreciate the detailed Mughal miniature paintings on the walls of the palaces, frescoes, filigree work on window frames, or the antique furniture bought from museums in Amdavad to furnish Shahi Mahal or Khwabgah.
One may not even much think how grand spectacle of sets like Heeramandi are shot and made full use of to do justice to the work put in by the design departments, but a 'Heeramandi' is a tribute and masterclass on how to do it and how!
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