From Manisha Koirala to Sonakshi Sinha: Heeramandi budget, cast fees for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's web series revealed

‘Heeramandi’, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, received accolades for both its costumes and set design in addition to its performances. Though the show garnered mixed reviews, it was highly praised for its larger-than-life depiction of the world of Heera Mandi. Money Control recently released a report on Heeramandi's budget and cast fees.

Sanjay debuted as an OTT on Netflix with this large-scale endeavour. Notably, the extravagant attire, jewellery, and sets on the program contribute significantly to its budget, as do the enormous salaries given to the actors. Sanjay Leela Bhansali charged between ₹60 and ₹70 crore for directing the series, according to Money Control. Owing to its large production volume, ‘Heeramandi’ has an approximate budget of ₹200 crore. The report also gave a glimpse of the fees paid to the cast.

With a reported salary of ₹2 crore for portraying the character of both Rehana and Fareedan, Sonakhi was the most paid actress on the show. According to the publication, Manisha Koirala was paid ₹1 crore for playing courtesan Mallikajaan in the epic-drama series, while Aditi Rao Hydari received between ₹1-1.5 crore for the role. She played Mallikajaan's older daughter, Bibbojaan.

Richa essayed the character of Mallikajaan's foster daughter Lajwanti aka Lajjo. For the series, she was paid ₹1 crore, which was equal to what Manisha was paid. Sanjeeda Sheikh, who portrayed the role of Rehana and Mallikajaan's younger sister Waheeda, earned ₹40 lakh from the show.

Sanjay's niece Sharmin Sehgal, played the role of Mallikajaan's younger daughter and was paid ₹30 lakh. Fardeen, who made a comeback as Nawab Wali Bin Zayed-Al Mohammed, charged ₹75 lakh for the series.

‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ is set in the backdrop of the Indian independence movement of the 1920s-40s. The battle between the courtesans in Lahore's red-light district, Heera Mandi, and the British Raj officials is depicted in this epic drama. ‘Heeramandi’ also stars Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman, Taha Shah Badussha, Farida Jalal and Shruti Sharma in pivotal characters. It is available for streaming on Netflix.