So ecstatic is Alia Bhatt with her role and performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi that she has given the director a carte blanche. “Give me a role, any role, in Heera Mandi and I will do it for free,” she apparently told Bhansali according to a source who informed
Sanjay Leela Bhansali of course refused to take up Alia’s offer. In all likelihood, Alia will be a part of Heera Mandi, though she will be paid her market price. “It’s not like Amitabh Bachchan who refused to charge a penny for Black because the producers couldn’t afford to pay him his price. Netflix is the producer on Heera Mandi. Every actor is being paid his or her full price,” says the source.
“There are seven episodes in Heera Mandi. Bhansali will direct the first episode. The rest of the 6 episodes will be directed by Vibhu Puri while Bhansali will supervise the project,” reveals the source. Vibhu Puri had assisted Sanjay Bhansali on Saawariya and also wrote the dialogues for Bhansali’s Guzaarish. Puri also directed the 2015 release Hawaizaada.