When Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar got released on Netflix. It wasn’t just another Indian web series, it was a spectacle, it was conversation starter, and it definitely was
When Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar got released on Netflix. It wasn’t just another Indian web series, it was a spectacle, it was conversation starter, and it definitely was a signature of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grandeur. However what if Heeramandi itself was not only made to dazzle? What if the root desire was something even deeper than this, maybe something on par with the world-widely acclaimed series The Crown?
Recently, Netflix India content head shared insights, which created a strong conversation. Was Heeramandi intended to be India’s version of The Crown? Let’s take a dip into the purpose of creation, compare it to the British royal drama, and discuss how this series will pave the way for the future of the Indian streaming content.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is famous for breaking cinematic boundaries in the Indian world of storytelling, and Heeramandi does not fail to do so. When it comes to exploring the lives of courtesans in Lahore’s fabled red-light district – Heeramandi, it is set against the backdrop of pre-independence Indian. Yet there is more to Heeramandi than those smoky, kohl-rimmed eyes and innumerable jharokhas trying to be built into the walls. it reconfigures an era, it creates strong female narratives and it dramatizes a multiple political theatre.
In an interview, Monika Shergill, the Vice President of Content at Netflix India said that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s imagination for Heeramandi wasn’t just cinematography of heart-wrenching drama or grandeur. Instead, the series was painstakingly designed as a piece with “epic international appeal” with a (perhaps well-intended) purpose to place India’s cultural and political transition before a grand stage – as what “The Crown” did to Britain.
On the outset, to compare Heeramandi with The Crown might seem unusual – the former is a fictionalised account of royal history, whereas the latter is a re-enactment of courtesan culture. But when you get deeper into the narrative strategy, character arcs and production design, the similarities are more obvious.
Both series are steeped in political and historical transitions. While The Crown captures post-war Britain, the monarchy’s evolution, and societal changes, Heeramandi offers a similar lens on colonial India, freedom movements, and women’s roles in society. Through the stories of its courtesans, Heeramandi presents a powerful critique of patriarchy, colonialism, and class systems.
While The Crown explores the life of Queen Elizabeth II and the sacrifices demanded of women in power, Heeramandi follows a group of women who wield influence in a male-dominated society through resilience, intelligence, and strategy. It reframes courtesans not as victims but as players in a complex societal game.
Netflix’s global platform promotes universal stories. A conscious choice has always played a part in the nature of both The Crown and Heeramandi as productions created with the intention to be heard outside of their homeland. According to Netflix India, Heeramandi was born as a prestige project that will be able to draw international attention, but keeping Indian authenticity, as well.
Bhansali is already famous for his movies that are much more than story-telling, a praise of art, history, and human feeling. With Heeramandi, he emerged on the digital medium for the first time when he decided to produce a web series rather than a theatrical release. This trend is consistent with the Netflix approach to support the author-driven, big-budgeted Indian content intended not for local audiences but for the global ones.
Monika Shergill confirmed in a recent interview that the idea was not to simply make another period drama, but to “redefine the scale of storytelling on Indian OTT platforms.” Much like how The Crown became Netflix UK’s crown jewel, Heeramandi was envisioned to be Netflix India’s magnum opus.
Despite the opulence, Heeramandi is not without criticism. Some viewers argued that the show romanticises a painful part of Indian history or misrepresents the courtesan culture. However, Bhansali underlined in several interviews that the series is a fictionalized world with genuine feelings at its core. It pays homage to the strong, complex lives of the women of Heeramandi, who are sometimes forgotten about history.
Just as The Crown sparked debates about factual accuracy and dramatization, Heeramandi walks a similar tightrope. This shows how Bhansali deliberately engaged with the ‘Bhansali scale’ while balancing the responsibilities of historical fiction.
The conversation around Heeramandi being India’s The Crown isn’t merely symbolic—it reflects the shifting tides in Indian digital content. Until recently, OTT platforms were driven by thrillers and quick-binge shows. But Heeramandi signals a new era: where long-form, slow-burn narratives with cultural depth are finally getting their due.
It’s a call to filmmakers to think globally, write authentically, and aim higher. And for Netflix, it’s proof that Indian stories—when treated with ambition and integrity—can command international stages.
So, did Heeramandi aim to become the Indian Crown?
Our answer would be: Yes, in spirit and scale—without imitation.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali didn’t want to recreate The Crown in India. He wanted to build something uniquely Indian, with the same ambition, richness, and narrative boldness. And judging by the attention Heeramandi has received globally, it seems the mission was successful.
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Not directly. Although The Crown and Heeramandi borrow the similarities in scale and intent, Sanjay Leela Bhansali designed Heeramandi as a standalone epic, taking place in the Indian history, and not as a remake.
Monika Shergill, Netflix India, let it out how the ambition was to produce the culturally-rich- but globally-appealing series – on the same level of aspiration as The Crown for the UK audience.
So far, Netflix hasn’t renewed Season 2, but due to the giant scope and the unresolved conclusion of Season 1, there’s a potential for more.
Heramandi is a historical fiction. Though it draws on actual events and locations, its characters and plots are fictionalized for the sake of narrative.
Yes. Its universal themes of power, identity, and freedom, in addition to Bhansali’s cinematic vision, makes it easy and interesting for the viewers outside India.
