Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has admitted that he wanted to cast Pakistan actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan in ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, according to a report in the Hindustan Times.

The pre-partition epic, which quickly climbed to top 10 on Netflix shortly after its debut, was reportedly 20 years in the making and crafted in Bhansali’s signature grand scale and attention to detail.

The filmmaker made the remarks during a recent interview with host Lilly Singh in Los Angeles during a premiere of the series.

What to watch this May: ‘Heeramandi’, ‘Bridgerton’, ‘Mother of the Bride’

“I had multiple castings in my mind, the idea has been there for 18 years,” Bhansali was quoted as saying.

“I thought about Rekha ji and then Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji. It was a film back then. I then also thought about Mahira Khan, the Pakistani actress, and Imran Abbas and Fawad Khan were also in my mind at one point of time. But I ended up with this ensemble cast.”

‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ is set in pre-partition India against the backdrop of British colonial rule. The story revolves around courtesans living in the district of Heera Mandi in Lahore, (present-day Pakistan).

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ offers first look

The series features Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditi Rao Hydari and has spurred several iterations of the classic tale in Bollywood through the years.

Earlier, speaking about ‘Heeramandi’, Bhansali said, “This is a story of love, power, freedom, and extraordinary women, their desires, and struggles.

“It marks a new milestone in my journey. In Netflix, we found the ideal partner —- one who not only shares our love for storytelling but also possesses the unparalleled capability to bring our series to the most diverse and global audience imaginable.”