Sanjay Leela Bhansali partners with Netflix for Heeramandi

Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next project, Heeramandi, based on three decades of the courtesan culture in Pakistan’s Walled City has been underscoring headlines for quite some time now. For obvious reasons, it has grabbed the attention of people both sides of the border, with Pakistani artists such as Yasir Hussain expressing frustration that these stories are not being told this side of the border.
In India, Heeramandi has been the topic of widespread discussion, with Bhansali
enthusiasts suggesting a dream cast that includes Rekha and Madhuri Dixit.

Marking 25 years of Bhansali’s association with filmmaking, Heeramandi will be his debut into the web space, and comes with a huge 25 crore budget funded by Netflix.

“Heeramandi is an important milestone in my journey as a filmmaker,” Sanjay Leela Bhansali is quoted to have said in a press statement. “This is an epic, first of its kind series based on the courtesans of Lahore. 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.”

Despite not being made for the silver screen, Heeramandi will have all the trappings of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali magnum opus, including elaborate sets and costumes, songs, dances and a star cast. According to reports, it will feature seven episodes and SLB will helm the first one. Meanwhile, the rest of the episodes will reportedly be directed by Vibhu Puri under Bhansali’s supervision. The cast is still unconfirmed, but insiders suggest that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Alia Bhatt have been roped in.

Riz Ahmed to chair the platform jury at TiFF

The Toronto International Film Festival, scheduled to run between September 9 to 18 this year, recently set up a competition lineup for its platform program and appointed British-Pakistani actor, rapper and producer Riz Ahmed as chairman of the jury.

“TiFF is always a film festival that shows bold films on the world stage,” Ahmed said in a press statement. “The commitment to celebrate small independent films like Sound of Metal has had a huge impact on my career. We look forward to seeing all the selections this year and working with fellow judges.”

Sound of Metal, for which Ahmed got his first Oscar nomination, premiered at the 2019 Platform Competition in Toronto.

Riz Ahmed’s selection as chairman of the jury at TiFF will help strengthen the movement he has started to change the misrepresentation of Muslims in global cinema.

“The progress that’s being made by a few of us doesn’t paint an overall picture of progress if most of the portrayals of Muslims on screen is still either nonexistent or entrenched in those stereotypical toxic two-dimensional portrayals,” said Ahmed during a recent briefing of an initiative he’s helping lead.

It’s noteworthy that the actor has teamed up with several organisations to study the cause and address it. The Ford Foundation, Pillars Fund, and Ahmed’s Left Handed Films have now launched a fellowship to support emerging Muslim directors and screenwriters, including a $25,000 award, mentorship and professional development. Applications can be submitted now through September 1.