Heeramandi review: Bhansali’s magnificent misfire is offensive and outdated

#Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s big-budget streaming debut, is yet another high-profile Netflix failure.
A summation and culmination of Bhansali’s lifelong ambitions, the show represents everything that is wrong with his sensibilities and style-over-substance storytelling.
We discuss the show’s flawed understanding of feminism, aestheticisation of female suffering, and haphazard structure.
We also talk about why the immaculate visuals and costumes that Bhansali is known for don’t contribute to his narratives.
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[@cora.ann.s]

It's an awesome series: actresses and actors, music, set design, costumes/clothing, hair, makeup, each character had her or his own struggles etc. I'll re-watch it again and again ✨❤

[@lekhs05]

Thank you for finally saying out right... It is truly only mad men that could see the abuse as an act of heroism. It was horrific to watch.

[@thelongtakepod]

Glad to know there's some sense in the world!

[@saurabhvashist4051]

Bhansali's writing has been subpar for quite some time. It is almost as if dialoguebaazi and "filmy" punch lines have become a substitute for writing in his films. Having seen Shogun recently, one cannot help but compare what happens when stellar writing comes together with attention to detail. Shogun worked stupendously when characters were verbally sparring and outwitting each other with great writing whilst wearing stunning costumes in splendid sets (kudos to the production design). Bhansali appears to be content dialing up the volume on costumes and production design whilst hoping that dialogues alone will move the story forward. It has almost become formulaic in his case - a set template for what a SLB project will be. As a viewer, I yearn for the days of Khamoshi - maybe what his writing needs is a little less dialoguebaazi and a little more silence.

[@thelongtakepod]

Shogun is really good!

[@chitrarajgopal4597]

SLB watched Pakeezah, it completely took over his thought process

[@victoryv116]

I think when you discuss on gender issue you should have woman in your podcast ...many women under patriarchy tries to survive by carving niches for them , by incorporating little power for themselves , by abusing other women too , by molding the same norms in their own favour ,by upholding the same patriarchal system by appearing men etc....women cannot escape but they still try to assert themselves in different ways within the system ...since women don't have power , whatever they have little , they try to uphold it ...bhansali try to tackle this dichotomy ., but I agree with you on purity aspect which defeats the very core message
I am not defending bhansali ,I think he is bad film maker but good set designer and composition master ...and way people speak , it's irritating and quite animated ..har dialogue mein puch line bolni sahi nahin hoti ...

[@parthgandhi1988]

It's pretty evident who's who, if you can't differentiate that means you're not paying any attention. People don't want to pay attention they just to get spoonfed everything to them.

[@rajnidembla1584]

Very nice

[@sohailajaved3278]

Bhansali's bhool baliyan. I see him as a small boy wandering recklessly in the diamond bazaar, trying to reckon what to see straight with eyes wide open, quite delusional afterall. Poor boy.

[@thelongtakepod]

🤣

[@somakkamos]

There is soooo much interruptions...😢

[@poornimavenkatesh1426]

Dabba series. I agree with your review. This is Bhansali s scam.

[@thelongtakepod]

Couldn't have said it better!

[@sofiabokhari922]

The series is marvellous absolutely engaging & entertaining please try to promote your own culture & movies rather then always trying to bow do the west