Photo Credit: Netflix
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, finally premiered on Netflix on May 1, 2024. The series marks Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s lavish entry into the web series. The female-led period drama has opened to positive reviews from both viewers and critics. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is known for his larger-than-life production, has brilliantly lived up to the extravaganza. The story is about Heeramandi, the grandest neighborhood of Lahore where courtesans, locally known as tawaifs, live. These courtesans were extremely beautiful and skilled in different forms of art such as music, dance, etc.
The series intricately weaves through its main characters’ personal and collective struggles. The stellar cast includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal. Each actress brings depth and nuance to their roles as courtesans. The series also features Fardeen Khan, Adhyan Suman, Shekhar Suman, and Taha Shah Badussha as the mighty Nawabs of Lahore.
Let’s dissect the conclusion of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar and examine what the outcomes mean for each character and the larger story Bhansali has woven.
Why did Mallikajaan kill Rehana?
The series begins against the opulent backdrop of Shahi Mahal, the grand mansion at the core of Heeramandi. In a dramatic night scene, Heeramandi’s matriarch, Rehana (Sonakshi Sinha), secretly hands over a newborn boy to a Nawab. The child belongs to her sister Mallikajaan, who is devastated by what she perceives as Rehana’s betrayal. Overwhelmed by grief and anger, Mallikajaan confronts Rehana. This confrontation leads to a fatal altercation where she kills Rehana, staging the scene to appear as a suicide. This grim act is silently witnessed by young Fareedan, Rehana’s daughter, and Waheeda, Rehana & Mallikajaan’s youngest sister.
Although Mallikajaan is briefly detained after, it becomes clear that Rehana was murdered. She is swiftly freed with the help of a smitten Nawab Zulfikar Saahab, who erases all of the evidence. Ascending as the new matriarch of Shahi Mahal, Mallikajaan ruthlessly sells Fareedan to a Nawab, securing her power within the complex socio-political dynamics of the palace. Twenty-five years later, Mallikajaan (Manisha Koirala) has become the cunning and ruthless matriarch, also known as Huzoor, of Shahi Mahal. Her elder daughter, Bibbojaan (Aditi Rao Hydari), is a breathtakingly beautiful courtesan with a compassionate heart. She also secretly plays a vital role in the rebellion against British rule. She is associated with Wali Sahab (Fardeen Khan), a Nawab from whom she cleverly takes out information against the British.
Why was Alam not interested in being a Courtesan?
Mallikajaan’s younger daughter, Alamzeb (Sharmin Segal), is a radiant young woman aspiring to become a poetess. She harbors a deep passion for poetry and shows no interest in following the path of a courtesan. Despite Mallikajaan’s persistent efforts to persuade her to debut as a courtesan, Alam remains resolute in her decision to pursue her poetry dreams. Alamzeb soon crosses paths with Tajdar (Taha Shah Badussha), a young man recently returning from London. Tajdar looked down on the courtesans and believed that Heeramandi was a place of debauchery. Tajdar hails from the esteemed Baloch family, which is known as a supporter of British rule. Despite his family’s allegiance, Tajdar harbors a deep-seated desire for India’s independence and secretly joins the freedom movement, embracing the rebels’ cause. After exchanging a series of letters, the young couple gradually falls in love, with Tajdar unaware of Alam’s true identity.
As Mallikajaan prepares for Alamzeb’s debut, the story introduces Lajjo (Richa Chaddha), an alcoholic courtesan who was tragically sold at six by her aunt and has since lived in Heeramandi. Lajjo harbors deep feelings for Nawab Zoravar Ali Khan, who is revealed to be the illegitimate son of Mallikajaan from earlier in the series. Despite her affection, Zoravar holds Heeramandi in contempt and cruelly rebuffs Lajjo’s declarations of love. He further humiliates her by inviting her to dance at his wedding to a noblewoman. Heartbroken and shamed, Lajjo meets a tragic end when she accidentally strikes her head on the handle of her buggy while returning home, resulting in her death.
Why did Fareedan return to Heeramandi?
After Lajjo’s death, Fareedan returns to Heeramandi with a plan for revenge. She wants to get back at Mallikajaan for killing her mother and aims to take over Shahi Mahal. She teams up with Inspector Cartwright, who also dislikes Mallikajaan. During Alam’s debut, Fareedan gives her a fake letter, making Alam think that Tajdar wants to marry her. Believing this, Alam leaves Heeramandi. When she meets Tajdar, she realizes her cousin tricked her.
At first, Tajdar struggles to accept Alam because of her background as a courtesan’s daughter. But seeing she has nowhere else to go, he lets her stay at his house and then eventually moves to the Baloch farmhouse in Amritsar. Tajdar is about to take part in a vital rebel mission. The mission is to sneak into a military area and steal ammunition. Tajdar hosts a party at his farmhouse to cover his tracks and invites high-ranking British officers, pretending to be on their side. Officer Cartwright also comes to the party and brings Fareedan with him. Fareedan finds the military area’s blueprint and other proof of the Nawab’s involvement in the rebellion. She offers to help Cartwright catch the rebels if he agrees to punish Mallika and Zulfikar for murdering her mother 25 years ago.
When the police raided the farmhouse, Tajdar was away, and they arrested Alam as she tried to conceal the evidence. Upon hearing of her arrest, Tajdar decided to confess, but his leader, Hamid, urged him to consider it. Faced with the choice between fighting for his country or surrendering to save his lover, Tajdar chose the former. At the police station, he denied any involvement with Alam and refused to recognize her as his lover.
Why was Tajdar killed?
To secure Alam’s release, Mallikajaan visits the police station, where she is subjected to humiliation and sexual abuse by Cartwright and his men, a sacrifice she makes for Alam’s freedom. This grievous incident deeply affects every woman in Heeramandi, reminding them that despite their willingness to entertain, they are seen as nothing more than objects by the British. When Fareedan learns of Mallikajaan’s ordeal, she recognizes that the British officers will never respect them, leading her to reconcile with Mallikajaan. Meanwhile, at a secret rebel meeting, Bibbo reveals to Tajdar that Alam is pregnant with his child. Realizing his grave error in denying Alam, Tajdar proposes marriage, which Mallikajaan conditionally accepts: if Tajdar fails to appear at the wedding, Alam will be introduced as a courtesan.
However, on the wedding day, Tajdar is arrested by Cartwright, who is acting on a tip from Tajdar’s father, who aims to prevent the marriage. In prison, Tajdar faces brutal torture, refusing to betray his fellow rebels. Despite Fareedan’s efforts to intervene, Cartwright ignores her pleas, and Tajdar is eventually killed. Bibbo learns of Tajdar’s death and informs everyone at Shahi Mahal, plunging Alam into profound grief.
Heeramandi ending explained: How does the series end?
The series concludes with the courtesans of Heeramandi recognizing their collective power and initiating their uprising against British rule. In a pivotal moment, Bibbojaan, who had previously seduced Henderson, a high-ranking British official, decides to take a stand. During a meeting where Henderson urged Indians to cooperate with the British, Bibbo boldly stood and shot him dead. Although Bibbo was captured and interrogated, she refused to divulge information about her fellow rebels. The only word she said during the interrogation was “Azaadi,” which means freedom. She was sentenced to death, but rather than grieving, Mallika felt a profound pride in her daughter’s imminent martyrdom.
Inspired by Bibbo’s courageous act, the courtesans of Heera Mandi rallied in the streets, defying curfew to support the first martyred courtesan. Meanwhile, Ustaadji presented Alam with an opportunity for vengeance against Cartwright. Cartwright wanted to spend a night with Alam. Ustaadji, believing it was the perfect moment for retribution, provided Alam with a gun. Seizing the chance, Alam agreed to the plan.
Heeramandi ends with Alam killing Cartwright while the courtesans flood the streets, calling for freedom. With nothing left to lose and no fear of death, they refused to be subjugated by the British. Even when they knew their contributions to the freedom struggle might be forgotten, they stood resolute, unwilling to compromise their dignity, and joined the ranks of the freedom fighters. Their acts were a testament to their determination to reclaim the respect they had once held in society.
Heeramandi is available on Netflix.
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