Published on harpersbazaararabia.com, May 2024
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For Vinay and Anshu Gupta, working on the pictorial series has been the crowning jewel of their glistening careers.
Immersing viewers into a world of Indian opulence and grandeur, renowned filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, is a cinematic masterpiece of exquisite proportions.
Set in the 1920’s in the city of Heeramandi, Lahore, the newly-released period drama delves into themes of love, scandal, rebellion, and envy, following the lives of alluring courtesans serving nobility during the realm of British colonial rule in India.
The story comes to life through Sanjay’s exceptional artistic eye, captivating viewers with opulent costumes, magnificent sets, and intricately-detailed Mughal jewellery, truly embodying the spirit of the times.
With a vision of authenticity in mind, Sanjay commissioned jewellery connoisseurs Vinay and Anshu Gupta of the historical Shri Paramani Jewels, to design custom pieces for the series.
Founded in 1789, the generations-old family-run enterprise is steeped in rich artisanal heritage. “Our history is truly of craftsmanship and jewellery design for over 200 years,” Vinay Gupta tells Bazaar Arabia, proudly. “Our forefathers were treasurers of the Mughal royals, thus we were the right people chosen for this project,” he says.
The project took over three years to complete, culminating in ten thousand hand-crafted pieces that not only encapsulate the exuberance of the Mughal empire, but celebrate the brand’s illustrious legacy.
Bazaar Arabia chats exclusively to the duo behind Shri Paramani Jewels to gain more insight into their creative process, family origins, and experience designing for Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
What went through your mind when you were first approached to design jewellery for Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar?
We had always been fans of the director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. After designing for the film Bajirao Mastani with him, the opportunity to design for Heeramandi came as nothing but joy, as the name, characters, and the story line have jewels at the centre of everything.
The first thing that went through our minds is that we have something that will allow us to go back to our roots. A journey back through 200 years of legacy, family treasures and jewellery-making traditions of our forefathers who were treasurers of the Mughals.
Can you take us through your creative process of designing the pieces?
The journey started with us aligning with Sanjay on the basic principles of design and heritage. The process was not only driven by design but also understanding history, going back into the era, and understanding each character in play.
Jewellery-making is an art form and Sanjay understands this. In Heeramandi, even the sets have jewels, and the jewels are used as smaller elements like gifts in the series, every detail was panned out. Thus, when designing the pieces, every nuance was looked at, and the craftsmanship was aimed to achieve the intricacy of jewellery-making in that era.
What type of input or guidance did Sanjay provide in the design of the jewellery?
He is a perfectionist. He spent hours in our studio to explaining to us how to design the jewellery based on each character and their development throughout the series. He also guided us on the selection and styling, and just making sure everything was done in the most authentic manner.
What did you take into consideration when designing for each character?
We looked at their age, their storyline, and their personality in the series. Each piece was crafted in keeping with each character.
What information or inspirations informed your designs?
During the research and development phase, we delved into our history, looking through the works of our ancestors, family jewels, treasures, and studying those with literature from that era.
How were the pieces created? Did you use any special techniques?
The craftsmanship for the pieces was actually aimed to be as close to the original timeline that would have been in that era. Our skilled artisans used traditional techniques such as filigree work, engraving, enamelling, and setting gemstones. They meticulously shaped metals like gold and silver, and adorned them with intricate designs and patterns. Gemstones were carefully selected and set into the jewellery to enhance its beauty and value. The craftsmanship and attention to detail that is present in Mughal jewellery-making resulted in stunning pieces that showcased the wealth and opulence of the Mughal Empire.
What do you love most about Mughal jewellery?
Mughal jewellery is known for its intricate designs, exquisite craftsmanship, and use of precious gemstones like diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. The specialty lies in the detailed enamel work, filigree patterns, and incorporation of traditional motifs like flowers, birds, and vines.
Do you any favourite pieces that you created for the series?
We created 10 000 pieces — to pick a favourite is impossible. Truly. But all the pieces worn by Alamzeb (played by Sharmin Segal) and Bibbo Jaan (played by Aditi Rao Hydari) are turning out to be more loved by our audiences!
Why do you think Shri Paramani Jewels were the best craftspeople to take on this project? How many people were involved in the creation of the pieces?
A magnanimous task. For over three years our entire studio was dedicated to this. We worked day in and day out, overnight, just to bring this vision to reality.
This quantum of jewellery has never been used, no wonder it’s called The Diamond Bazaar.
Our history is truly of craftsmanship and jewellery design for over 200 years. Our forefathers were treasurers of the Mughal royals, thus we were the right people chosen for this project because our artisans have the capability and design acumen to truly recreate the era.
How do you feel seeing your creations come to life on screen in Heeramandi?
The feeling is just unbelievable. We are who we are, because of our artisans and seeing the days and nights of labour come to life, just makes us so happy and overjoyed and sometimes, happily overwhelmed.
Images courtesy Netflix/Bhansali Productions
