Bhubaneswar, May 1 -- Sanjay Leela Bhansali's much-awaited web series debut, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, finally hits screens today.

Featuring a star-studded cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Manisha Koirala, Richa Chadha among others, the series has already garnered immense excitement with its lavish promotions.

In a surprising revelation, Bhansali unveiled his original picks for the show during the Los Angeles premiere. He disclosed that he initially envisioned Rekha, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Rani Mukerji for the lead roles. Later, the cast evolved to include Pakistani actors Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan.

In a Reddit video gaining viral traction, Bhansali reminisced, "This was 18 years ago, at one point it was Rekha ...