Fardeen Khan is poised to grace the screen once again after a hiatus of 14 years, starring in the upcoming Netflix release “Heeramandi,” helmed by renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
The unveiling of the first look poster featuring Fardeen Khan in “Heeramandi” has garnered significant attention, marking his highly anticipated comeback. At the trailer launch event held in Mumbai on Tuesday, the actor became visibly emotional as he discussed his return and conveyed his heartfelt appreciation towards Sanjay Leela Bhansali for presenting him with what he described as ‘the perfect role.’
During the event, Fardeen expressed, “Firstly, it’s been a very long gap for me. It’s been almost about 14 years, to say the least. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity to work with this stellar star cast and a platform like Netflix and the man himself, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I couldn’t have hoped for a better opportunity as an actor to return to the screen.”
Reflecting on his role in the series, he added, “For me, this was something I have never done and it was the perfect role for me. At the age I am in, to come back to the screen, you come with a certain amount of life experience, wisdom and you know you can you can really contribute to the layers that Sanjay writes into all his characters. His characters are very intricate, very complex. There’s nobody like him who writes characters. He goes across the spectrum and emotions, and he has this intuitive understanding of it. It’s daunting to work with him, but at the same time, when you see it all together, it just all makes sense. I’m getting emotional now… I am extremely grateful for this chance and so happy to be here.”
The series boasts an ensemble cast including Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman, and Taha Shah. The focal point, however, remains on the stellar lineup of female leads comprising Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal. “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar” delves into the cultural milieu of Heeramandi, an opulent district, unraveling the tales of courtesans and their patrons set against the backdrop of India’s freedom struggle. It is slated to premiere on Netflix on May 1st.