Netflix to spend ₹200 crore for Heeramandi; Bhansali to receive ₹65 crore as fee
After the successful reception of his period drama Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is all set to kick-start another opulent period series titled Heera Mandi.
In a web series format, Heeramandi will depict stories of courtesans or tawaifs and the intrigues of kothas, besides exploring human emotions like love, betrayal, and heartbreak through the characters.
The ambitious project is set in Lahore and it will be recreated in the same location where Sanjay Leela Bhansali shot Gangubai Kathiawadi with Alia Bhatt as the lead.
The project is being bankrolled by OTT giant Netflix which has reportedly decided to spend ₹200 crore on it. The budget also includes the payment of director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, which is a whopping ₹65 crore.
“Bhansali will be receiving ₹60-65 crore as a directorial fee. The rest of the ₹200-crore budget for Heeramandi goes into production costs and in paying the actors," a source close to the project revealed.
Coming to Heeramandi, the cast of Bhansali's magnum opus features Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chaddha, and Aditi Rao Hydari. While the male actors are yet to be finalised, a few senior actresses will be making cameos in the series.
