Five Heeramandi Characters Who Could’ve Used More Screen Space
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Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series “Heeramandi” delves into the lives of courtesans in pre-partition Lahore, exploring themes of love, greed, envy, rivalry, betrayal, and patriotism. Centered around the courtesans of Shahi Mahal, a mansion run by Mallikajaan, the show spans eight episodes and features a diverse array of characters. While Manisha Koirala and Sonakshi Sinha deliver riveting performances as Mallikajaan and Fareedan, some other characters could have benefitted from more screen time to further enrich the story. Here’s a list of five (potentially great) characters who story arc didn’t get enough time (major story spoilers ahead) –
1. Bibbojaan – Aditi Rao Hydari’s Bibbo is one of the leading protagonists in “Heeramandi”, but despite being one of the few courtesans whose ambition and personality stretch beyond the four walls of Shahi Mahal and the arms of men who grace it, her character feels sidelined. Bibbo dreams of the country attaining freedom from British rule and secretly works to help and finance revolutionaries against the colonialists. Heeramandi’s climax heavily relies on the themes of freedom and Bibbo’s tragic fate for conspiring against British rules, yet, the earlier episodes of the series only give perfunctory glimpses into her role as a freedom fighter.
2. Ustaad – Indresh Malik as Ustaad is undeniably one of the most entertaining characters in Heeramandi, but unfortunately, he is also criminally caricatured and confined to the role of a mildly villainous pimp and gossip-queen. Despite Ustaad’s frequent appearances in crucial scenes, viewers are led to believe he might play a more pivotal role in the story, yet this expectation remains unfulfilled. Instead, his character merely provides comic relief or adds queer sexual tension without substantial development. It raises questions about why a prominent filmmaker like Sanjay Leela Bhansali still hesitates to give his queer characters more depth and refrain from perpetuating established stereotypes.
3. Saima – Shruti Sharma portrays Saima, a helper at Shahi Mahal who usually accompanies Mallikajan’s younger daughter, Alamzeb. While Mallikajan expects Alamzeb to make her debut as a courtesan, she discovers that Saima is a far more talented singer than her own daughter. Ironically, despite being a supporting character, Shruti Sharma’s portrayal of Saima outshines Alamzeb, a primary protagonist. By the last episode of “Heeramandi”, we only hear that Saima achieves success as a singer, but it would have been more satisfying to witness her turbulent journey—from being sold into the flesh trade to ultimately emerging as a successful singer.
4. Lajjo – Richa Chadda brilliantly portrays Lajjo, a courtesan hopelessly in love with a nawab and dreaming of marrying him. Her heart is shattered when he announces his marriage to another woman and, to humiliate her, invites her to perform at his wedding. Despite appearing in only two episodes, Richa Chadda packs an emotional punch in her portrayal of the lovelorn Lajjo, who drowns her sorrows in alcohol. Her character rivals that of Devdas, and while it makes sense for her not to be present throughout the series, glimpses of her initial romance with the nawab would have intensified Lajjo’s heartache. Such moments would have made her swan song in “Heeramandi” even more gut-wrenching.
5. Shama – Pratibha Ranta has one of the tiniest cameos in “Heeramandi” as Mallikajaan’s niece, Shama, who shares a fraught relationship with her young courtesan mother, Waheeda (Sanjeeda Sheikh). Some viewers might recall her as Jaya from “Laapata Ladies,” a leading protagonist. Despite her blink-and-miss appearance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s series, she manages to leave a favorable impression on viewers. The warped mother-daughter rivalry between Shama and Waheeda could’ve been explored further, but is not. Sanjeeda Sheikh gets her fair share of Waheeda, an excessively ambitious but envious courtesan, whom she portrays with the right amount of madness and fury.
Which Heeramandi character would you have liked to see more in the series?
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