Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi Track Sakal Ban Has A 700-Year History

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali who is known for his grand visual narratives and evergreen musical compositions, has once again left the audiences stunned with the first song of his upcoming Netflix series, Heeramandi. Titled Sakal Ban, the song not only serves as the flagship track for Bhansali's newly launched music label, Bhansali Music but also holds a strong historical existence.

What is the true story of Sakal Ban?

Performed by Raja Hasan, the soulful rendition of Sakal Ban showcases each actress immersed in vibrant hues of mustard, yellow, and gold. However, beyond its visual grandeur, Sakal Ban is a narrative steeped in history, spanning over 700 years. Here’s everything you need to know.

Recently, social media content creator Laksh Maheshwari took to Instagram and detailed the story behind Sakal Ban, originally penned by the legendary poet Ameer Khusro. Maheshwari narrated how the song, rooted in the 12th-13th century, originated from an encounter Khusro had during Basant Panchami. Upon witnessing people offering mustard flowers to their deities, Khusro, inspired by their devotion, presented a bouquet to his mentor, Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, to reduce his grief over the loss of his nephew.

Even today, the tradition of offering yellow flowers and chadar persists at Hazrat Nizamuddin's shrine in Delhi every Basant Panchami, echoing the timeless significance of Sakal Ban. Bhansali's adaptation of this historic narrative into a musical spectacle is just the first step into how culturally rich Heeramandi might be.

What more do we know about Heeramandi?

Heeramandi (The Diamond Bazaar) is a Netflix original period drama series created by Sanjay Leela Bhansali which stars Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal in pivotal roles. The series will start streaming on May 1.

For the unversed, Heeramandi follows the lives of tawaifs in Lahore’s Heera Mandi district during the Independence movement against the British Raj.