Following the revelation by Sanjay Leela Bhansali that he originally considered casting Imran Abbas, Fawad Khan, and Mahira Khan in his epic Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, BBC journalist Haroon Rashid decided to select an ideal Pakistani cast in theory.
The radio host, a wealth of knowledge on anything entertainment related on the BBC Asian Network, created a clip on Instagram and said, “I agree that it’s unfortunate that Heeramandi doesn’t have Pakistani actors in it. Let’s recast Heeramandi with Pakistani stars!”
Rashid started by analyzing the female actresses in Heeramandi, taking care to note that the show already has an amazing Indian cast bringing the story to life. He said that there was no question as to who could have portrayed Bibbojan. Mahara Khan’s performance in Parey Hut Love served as a standard for him, and he declared, “There is no doubt about it—she would have been absolutely magnificent.” “Imagine the possibilities she has in this area.”
Going on, Rashid said that Sarwat Gilani would have been ideal as Waheeda since she was “born to star in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali production.” Rashid remarked, “She could do this role beautifully as someone who is scorned and wants her right and haq and is feeling betrayed,” alluding to her performance in Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam.
Rashid’s expert said that Saba Qamar would have been “exceptional” in the role of Lajjo, perfectly bringing the character to life. “If she had been given this role, I wonder what she would have done,” he thought to himself.
The host, though, struggled to decide who ought to have played Alamzeb. It came down to Sonya Hussyn or Sajal Ali, in Rashid’s opinion. Sajal exudes an old-world charm, and we are confident in her ability to pull off the surreal style seen in series like Alif. Or is it Sonya Hussyn that I want to see? Both would be quite special, Rashid conceded.
Ultimately, Rashid was very certain that Meera, a seasoned actress and television personality, would have given a remarkable performance in the character of Mallikajan, the matriarch. “I picture her as Mallikajan gone feral, vile, menacing, and vindictive, seeking retribution.” It’s evident that this is occurring. The casting would have been outstanding.
As he turned his focus to the male actors, Rashid was sure that Fawad Khan was the only actor who could have played Wali better than him. Rashid said, “Fawad would have taken this to a whole new level. Fardeen Khan was decent enough.” Rashid challenged viewers to “name me someone better than Wahaj [Ali]” in the role of Tajdar.
Rashid said that there was a “clear curly hair comparison” between Pakistani-Canadian actor Ahad Raza Mir and the character Zorawar, but he clarified that it went beyond just hair. According to Rashid, he could “easily [play] that angsty young man that Zorawar’s character is supposed to be.”
If only because of their identical moustaches, Rashid chose Humayun Saeed over everyone else for the role of Zulfikar. “I can definitely see this happening, but I’m not sure if Humayun would be too happy about it,” Rashid laughed.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.