I binge watched it last night.
Initial few episodes are good to hook you but it spirals down to disaster episode 5 onwards. The story subverts expectations and goes into another direction very soon with little coherence. I think the freedom fighting and revolution part should have been avoided. It should have been fixated on the Mahals' internal confilcts and politics. The most interesting parts were the parts invlolving Heeramandi. The revolution and anti-British resistance was not written properly and it did evoke little to none emotion or response.
Manisha was good initially but as the story progressrd, you would realize the story warranted a much powerful actress. I feel let down by her tbh. Vidya or Tabu would have cooked and eaten the role.
Sanjeeda was phenomenal. I think her performance is one if the best in the show.
Sonakshi was good on and off. As Faredaan she has her moments but in the last few epsiodes it deteriorated. Also, her sudden change of heart is not believable. Mallikajan's gang rape, as brutal it is, did not seem enough to trigger a sudden change of heart when she left no stone unturned to destroy everyone around Mallikajan.
Richa was good as Lajjo Apa in her limited role.
Aditi was fine too. She looked extremely beautiful.
Fardeen was meh.
While I did not like Tajdar at first, he grew on me later. He is handsome and delivers a decent performance and is quite charming.
Alamzeb is a disaster. She does not fit into the universe of exotic beauty of Heeramandi tawaifs. Her injected lips and almost plastic face ruins many many scenes. She is stiff and boring.
While everyone is going gaga over the grandeur and aesthetics, I am disappointed by the lack of substance. The hype Ustaadji creates when he says every brick of Heeramandi conceals a secret, falls on its face by the paperthin script. Also, the scene of him with Cartright in his bedroom is very bold and props to the actors for pulling it off. Ustadji especially is phenomenal.
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