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- Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar cast
- How are Rehana and Waheeda connected to Mallikajaan?
- Who is Mallikajaan's enemy Fareedan?
- How are Alam, Bibbo and Lajjo connected to Mallikajaan?
- Who is Tajdar in Heeramandi?
- Who are Phatto and Satto in Heeramandi?
- Who is Saima in Heeramandi?
- Who is Zulfikar Ahmed in Heermandi and how is he connected to Mallikajaan?
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is a long winding tale full of pain, grief, betrayal and revenge, and the chief courtesan of Heeramandi, Mallikajaan, sits right in the centre of it all.
With a sprawling cast that could give Game of Thrones a run for its money, it can get pretty confusing remembering who is who and how they are all connected to the central story, so we've broken it down for you.
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar cast
• Mallikajaan played by Manisha Koirala
• Fareedan played by Sonakshi Sinha
• Rehana also played by Sonakshi Sinha
• Alamzeb 'Alam' played by Sharmin Segal
• Tajdar 'Taj' played by Taha Shah Badussha
• Bibbojaan 'Bibbo' played by Aditi Rao Hydari
• Lajwanti 'Lajjo' played by Richa Chadha
• Waheeda played by Sanjeeda Sheikh
• Phatto played by Jayati Bhatia
• Satto played by Nivedita Bhargava
• Saima played by Shruti Sharma
• Zulfikar Ahmed played by Shekhar Suman
Here are all the key players and how they are connected to Manisha Koirala's Mallikajaan.
How are Rehana and Waheeda connected to Mallikajaan?
Rehana (Sonakshi Sinha) was the former chief courtesan of Heeramandi and Mallikajaan's older sister.
Mallikajaan murdered Rehana out of revenge after Rehana sold her infant son Imaad to a nawab (wealthy nobleman). She then replaced her as chief courtesan.
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Waheeda (Sanjeeda Sheikh) is also Mallikajaan's sister. She bears a scar on her face. She received the deep gash many years prior to the present-day events, after she threatened to expose the truth about Rehana's murder. She now lives under Mallikajaan's rule.
Who is Mallikajaan's enemy Fareedan?
Sonakshi Sinha also plays Fareedan, Rehana's daughter and Mallikajaan's niece. At a young age, she witnessed Mallikajaan attempt to pass off Rehana's murder as suicide and was sold away by Mallikajaan.
She returned to Heeramandi as an adult seeking revenge on Mallikajaan and was determined to reclaim her birthright, the Shahi Mahal.
How are Alam, Bibbo and Lajjo connected to Mallikajaan?
Alamzeb 'Alam' (Sharmin Segal) is Mallikajaan's youngest daughter and one half of the principal love story.
She strives to separate herself from the rest of the courtesans at Heeramandi and escape her birthright of becoming a tawaif, desiring to be a poet instead.
Bibbojaan 'Bibbo' (Aditi Rao Hydari) is Mallikajaan's other daughter – a tawaif on the surface but a rebel at heart, who fights for India's freedom from the British.
Lajwanti 'Lajjo' (Richa Chadha) is Mallikajaan's foster daughter.
Who is Tajdar in Heeramandi?
Tajdar 'Taj' (Taha Shah Badussha) is a nawab and secret rebel. He works alongside Bibbo in the revolution but also falls in love with Alam. Their relationship blossoms but has a Romeo-and-Juliet effect when their parents find out.
Mallikajaan wishes for her daughter to become a tawaif and give up on the frivolity of love, believing that nawabs cannot be trusted where love is concerned.
Meanwhile, Taj's father Ashfaq (Ujjwal Chopra) doesn't want his son involved with anyone from Heeramandi. Can they make it work? Read our ending explainer to find out.
Who are Phatto and Satto in Heeramandi?
Phatto (Jayati Bhatia) and Satto (Nivedita Bhargava) are always in the thick of the action and always by Mallikajaan's side, but they are not related to her. They are her maids.
Who is Saima in Heeramandi?
Saima (Shruti Sharma) is Alam's maid.
Who is Zulfikar Ahmed in Heermandi and how is he connected to Mallikajaan?
Zulfikar Ahmed (Shekhar Suman) is Mallikajaan's patron (formally Rehana's patron). He is also the father of her son Imaad. After Imaad was sold and Rehana killed, he helped Mallikajaan to cover up her crime.
All episodes of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar can be streamed now on Netflix.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
