Huzoor, It's been four days. She's just been lying there like this.
If only she would just cry a little.
To think Aapa had dreams of making her Huzoor of Shahi Mahal.
And all she'd dreamed of was marriage.
Fate has shattered both dreams.
I'm going to the Dargah. Let me know if Alam regains her senses
Satto, let's go.
Ji, Huzoor.
Phatto bi, give the child a pinch of opium.
What are you even saying, Khalajaan?
I'm speaking from experience, Bibbo.
There is no relief from this pain.
At least she'll be able to sleep.
Once she seeks refuge in opium, she'll be addicted to it for the rest of her life.
I won't let Alam become like Lajjo Aapa.
Phatto bi, tell Iqbal to bring out the buggy.
I'm taking Alam with me.
Where?
Why have we brought Alam here?
Her love story may forever be incomplete, but her grief must find its closure.
Once she cries her heart out, her eyes will be able to hide the pain.
Glance at me just once.
Let my poor heart soar.
I'm a moth to your flame.
Willing to burn forever.
How did Tajdar's die?
What happened was terrible.
You mean, the way my son died?
No.
Was killed.
He was shot right here, in the chest.
I made a great mistake, Cartwright sahab, by placing my trust in you.
I just requested you to keep him in police custody for a few days.
So he would be safe.
He would have forgotten that courtesan.
He would have given up the revolution.
Ashfaq, let me explain.
Tajdar was my only son, Mr. Cartwright.
And you killed him.
No. It was the rebels.
The rebels killed your son.
Those same rebels, who walked side by side with your son.
Raising slogans of liberty.
They're the ones who murdered him.
Why would the rebels kill one of their own?
They were worried, that Tajdar might give away the names of his comrade.
That's why they killed him.
The rebels attacked the police station, to murdered him.
Two of my best men gave their lives to protect your son.
Where the hell were you?
Riots broke out in Balalganj.
We had to leave.
It was all a distraction by the rebels, to get to Tajdar.
Do you have any idea where these rebels get the money to buy so many weapons?
From you.
Nawabs like you go to Heeramandi… and shower the courtesans with your wealth.
And the same courtesans, hand over that wealth over to the rebels.
These Mallikajaans, and Bibbojaans, and all these bloody 'jaans. '
They're responsible for this.
How does it matter, who's responsible and who's not.
I had to carry my young son's corpse on my shoulder.
And there is no burden in the world, that's heavier.
You called for me?
Hmm. Sit down.
Are you all right?
-What happened with Alam was. -What happened with Alam was very wrong.
And I'm responsible for it.
It's not just you Khalajaan. I'm responsible too.
I only sought my happiness at the expense of everyone else's.
Isn't this what you wanted?
The keys to the Shahi Mahal.
They're yours from now on.
We fought over these keys for so long, and now you are just giving them to me?
None of my daughters are worthy of being my heir, so I have to choose my enemy.
Of course you couldn't defeat me, but I must say your efforts.
But truly commendable.
I may have given birth to Alam and Bibbo,
but they were never really tawaifs at heart.
After me if there's anyone whose capable of the same cunningness,
deception and abject cruelty.
Then that is you my Fareedan.
And why not, let the nawab's wives be noble.
Fareedan, god has given us more than our fare share of enemies.
The British, the Nawabs, time itself. They've all become our enemies.
If we don't join forces now, we'll be finished.
It doesn't matter if you and I are gone, but if Heeramandi ceases to exist.
That's unacceptable.
I agree.
The keys?
Those I will snatch from you one day.
Aapa!
Waheeda khala, my ammi. What's happened to my aami?
Aapa! Satto! Phatto! Waheeda! Rehana Aapa has killed herself.
Fareedan, let's go. Fareedan, let's go.
Until things calm down in the city. We should remain in hiding.
But where will we go carrying all this weapons?
Heeramandi. The police will never come there looking for rebels.
Why?
Heeramandi's Tawaifs are the queens of Lahore,
and one never raid's a queen's palace.
-Stay alert. -The world will recount tales of
your rebellion, not of the tawaifs.
Our sacrifices may never make it to the pages of history,
but our land will always remember us.
Your sacrifices will always meet him-
-Open the door! Open the door! -The time has come.
We won't die. We'll kill.
Long live the revolution!
Here!
You've declared.
Now at least it's done.
-Are you sure? -Check it, it's right
Who's there?
Oye, who's there? Come out.
Show yourself.
All of you get out of here.
-Come out or I'm going to shoot. -Stupid.
-Gurdas let go, I'll handle it. -Rizwan!
-Come out! -Hey, let me go!
Rizwan!
Stop right there.
Stop.
I said, stop.
If you don't stop w'll shoot.
Long live the revolution!
If you care for your life, then stop there.
Quickly.
Long live the revolution!
-Can't you hear? -This way.
-Hey, stop! -Come, careful, careful.
-Move! -Careful… carefully.
Hurry up, come on come on hurry up.
Come on, please, please.
Long live--
Rizwan! Rizwan!
-Don't go out, they've killed Rizwan. -He gave up his life for his
country. He's a martyr now.
There is none worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Come on, quickly get in.
They are not criminals that they need to hide in the cellar.
They are soldiers fighting for the freedom of this country.
They will stay in Lajjo's room. With honor.
Satto, Phatto!
Shut up you fool! It's Huzoor.
Make some food.
-Right now, for you? -Huh-huh?
For eight people.
Okay.
What's wrong Bibo? Why aren't any of you having your dinner?
How can we eat?
Our comrade, Rizwan's body is lying unclaimed in the street.
God alone knows how many Rizwans there are right now?
Sacrificing their lives with a smile.
Knowing that the spark of rebellion, that they've ignited will become a fire,
that burns down the British raj.
Come, Bibbo… Why don't you take the first bite.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.
In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.
I'm not going to perform anymore. Now my only goal is my country's freedom.
Do you have any idea what you're saying? The British will never leave this country.
They certainly will.
If you and I get together and…
Nawabs and Tawaifs never walk side by side, Fareedan.
We even build our graves higher, than other peoples.
When status matters even after death. Why would we lose it while still alive?
You seem to have lost sight of the fact.
That I am not your slave like Chaudhary Sahab. I am the patron of Khawbgah.
You were.
You were the patrons.
You and him both.
But I gave Chaudhary Sahab his freedom.
And me?
Permission.
If you want to hate me for putting an end to this relationship,
then you have my permission.
This fight that you're giving up everything
for? Is going to be impossible to win.
Never the less. I will still pray for your victory.
Khuda Hafiz.
Alam bibi, where do I begin?
She won't take her medicine or get out of bed.
All she does is ask for you all day.
I just don't know what to do. I swear to God, I can't take it anymore
Thank God you agreed to come.
All Qudsia begum says all day is Alam, Alam. Where is Alam?
If someone happens to see you in the morning, before you leave.
You can tell them you're my friend, Sarfaraz's sister.
And what is Sarfraz's sister's name?
Ah…
Alamzeb.
Is that all right?
It's perfect.
Alam Bibi.
Ha?
Dadijaan!
Alam!
How are you?
I'm all right Dadijaan.
But why aren't you making an effort to get better?
Tell me, what will it take for you to have your medicine?
Not take, give.
Sharafat, hand me that.
It's an heirloom.
I thought I'd give it to you after the wedding.
I was saving it for Tajdar's bride.
It belongs to you now.
Now that I've seen you.
And given you what is rightfully yours.
I.
I can now depart peacefully.
You're not going anywhere. Dadijaan. You need to get well.
For Tajdar's sake.
There's someone else who's going to call you, Qudsia once again.
The British think that we nawabs,
are using Heeramandi as a cover to conspire against them.
Now, before they start confiscating our estates and titles.
We must sever all ties with Heeramandi.
Why they need to be so ruthless, Ashfaq Sahab?
After all, Heeramandi was built by us Nawabs.
We didn't built it. So that it could ruin us all.
Those women are in cahoots with the rebels.
When a glass door starts to cut your hand. It's time to throw it away.
I've made my decision. Let's, boycott Heeramandi.
From now on, no Nawab will go to Heeramandi.
Not as a patron.
Nor a sympathizer.
Huzoor, what are you doing?
I'm getting Waheeda ready. It's time for her performance, wear this.
What performance are you talking about?
Heeramandi has been deserted for the last 4 days.
All Kotha's are. Look… Look at the viewing galleries,
where the girls used to dance all night they are all shut down.
I swear, my heart is breaking.
No matter what the lamps and the Shahi Mahal must always burn bright.
Huzoor, believe me, I've tried knocking on every door,
not a single Nawab wants to come
here-
Should we stop living just because they won't come?
We're courtesans, Ustaadji.
Dressing up and performing is our calling and We'll do it till our last breath.
Oh.
Look at this.
The king of Patiala gave this to me.
He was so enamored by me.
Here, take this.
Alright, Huzoor. If this is what you have decided,
then it won't be long before the likes of officers,
merchants and shopkeepers will come here to watch a Mujra.
Instead of gold coins, they will shower you with peanuts.
Huzoor, only you can save Heeramandi.
You could at least try to speak to Zulfikar sahab at least once.
Why?
So she can demean herself?
Aapa will most certainly not go to Zulfikar sahab.
It's time for my performance. Come along, Ustaadji
You couldn't bring any patrons, at least come and help us put out the lamps.
Yes.
Salam Nasreen Begum.
Why have you come here?
I have to see Zulfikar sahab very urgently.
Nawab sahab can't see you right now.
So, once your sharbat is done, you can leave.
Begum sahiba, if the nawabs stop coming to us, that will be the end of Heeramandi.
Only Zulfikar sahab can convince the other nawabs to come back to us.
Only he can save Heeramandi now.
Why would a man who never stood by his wife? Support a tawaif.
Khan Bahadur ZulfiKar is brave in title only, not in character.
Then please explain to him.
If not for me. At least have some pity on the women living in Heeramandi.
Not once has a tawaif ever taken pity on a wife.
So, why would a wife take pity on a tawaif?
Go home, Mallika.
Men can hardly fulfill their duties in the bedroom and you expect them to
fulfill promises?
I always knew it would come to this, not a single Nawab will stand by us.
Men may abandon us. Our homeland never will.
So let's try supporting our homeland for a change.
You need to give up these wild dreams of revolution, Fareedan!
This revolution is not a dream. It's our duty.
This country's ours too, and while we see our land burning,
we can't sing and dance like everything is normal.
Who understand's the price of freedom more than we do?
We abandoned our dignity, and love has always abandoned us.
Now this revolution is the only thing that can give true meaning to our lives.
Just for once try and think like a patriot and not like a courtesan.
Why should we need to beg?
Our vaults are so over flowing, not a soul will go hungry here.
From now on, no one in Heeramandi will bow down to anyone.
No woman, no child in Heeramandi will ever be anyone's slave again.
Not of the British and not of the Nawabs.
Hamid sahab, please try to understand, We'll never get a better chance than this.
Henderson will be delivering a speech at the Imperial police banquet. There'll be
fewer guards outside, Balraj and I can easily…
I know, Nawaz.
But circumstances have changed now.
Tajdar, Rizwan. I don't want to lose anymore, comrades.
So, should we just keep hiding here like criminals?
Attacking Henderson is not a small thing, Umesh.
We have to wait for the right opportunity.
But why wait? Hamid Sahab, this is the perfect time.
Henderson is now my lover and he's invited me to the banquet.
Who will take the shot? You?
Yes.
I'm going to kill him.
Do you even understand what you're saying?
The only outcome is death.
Why should only sons get to die for this country? It should be us daughters too.
The Crown has done for its colonies what no other ruler could.
Just look at India today.
We have brought education, railroads,
and postal services to this war-torn country.
And you are safe from the atrocities of Hitler.
Because of British protection!
However, there is still injustice in the Western world.
So we must fight together.
That's why Indian soldiers will fight alongside our army.
To defeat the fascist Nazis.
Cartwright! Arrest her!
Kill them!
Hamid sahab!
Don't shoot. Keep her alive.
Hamid sahab, Hamid sahab!
Long live the revolution!
Long live…
Huzoor! General Henderson has been assassinated.
-What? Henderson is dead? -Huzoor, the Almighty has heard our
prayers! These Britishers deserve to…
That man should have been killed a long time ago.
This evening, let's distribute food to the poor.
He was killed by our Bibbojaan.
She shot him straight in the heart. They've arrested her and taken her away.
Oh God!
The little girl, who couldn't even kill an Ant has now killed a British officer.
My fearless little warrior.
Every tawaif in Heeramandi, will pay a heavy price for her fearlessness.
They'll be dragged by their hair all the way to jail.
The British will shut down all our kothas…
Then, let them.
Now Heeramandi's halls will only be filled with music after independence.
I must say our British hospitality suits you, tawaif.
There's only one way to avoid the death sentence.
Speak up!
What are the names of the rebels who escaped?
Freedom.
What was Hamid Mohsin's real motive?
Freedom.
Do you even realise what the consequences are for this rebellion of yours.
Freedom.
Fareedan, what happened?
The British are going to execute Bibbojaan tomorrow night.
What are you saying?
Haye rabba! May these Britishers burn in hell. A plague upon their race! They're-
Fatima! Keep quiet. Sit down.
May God never forgive these evil vicious people.
Call for the buggy, Satto. We'll go and find the best lawyers in the city.
-Aapa, we'll go to the highest court-- -There won't be any hearing!
I tried to meet her, but they wouldn't even let me in.
They silenced the nawabs by making an example of Tajdar,
and now they're silencing us with Bibbo's…
Khaala, now it's up to us to do something.
I am doing something, I'm feeling proud.
My daughter will be known as the first martyr of Heeramandi.
All these years we were, just tawaifs.
But now we have become patriots of our homeland.
Khalajaan, that's why it's our duty to go and stand by Bibbo.
She needs to know that she's not alone at this time.
But how will we go? The whole city's under curfew.
We'll break the curfew.
Are you mad? The British will rain bullets down on us.
Yes, so let them do it. It's only our lives, we'll lay it down for our country.
The time has come for us to revolt, Mallika.
Queens do not revolt.
They declare war.
The queens of Lahore will not descend upon the streets.
-Who's it? -It's me, Ustaad.
Alam, open the door.
What are you doing here at this hour?
Let's go in, I'll tell you everything. Come.
What happened Ustaad ji? Is everything all right?
Nothing is all right, bibi. These are bad times.
The lights in Shahi Mahal have gone dark.
The only one who can bring light to this darkness is you, Alam.
What are you saying, Ustaadji?
Bibi, there are no patrons left, but there are buyers. I have found a buyer for you.
Cartwright!
He want's to buy you, for just one night.
God must have been really heartless to create a wild creature like you, Ustaadji!
Before I raise my hand to slap you, I think it's better you leave.
Bibi, you don't understand what I'm saying. What I meant…
It was Cartwright who murdered my beloved Tajdar and you want me to understand
what you're saying?
He robbed my Amijaan of her honour and you want me to understand what you're saying?
-Bibi I just- -They are going to execute my Bibbo Aapa
tomorrow and you want me to understand what you are saying.
Bibi listen I-
I'm pregnant Ustaadji,
and you have the audacity to ask me to keep that Cartwright's bed warm?
Get out of here.
Bibi, but-
Make your deal somewhere else. There are many bodies in Heeramandi
But Bibi, only you have the courage.
Alam, go and take your revenge.
This is your best chance to get back at Cartwright.
Wild creature.
A cheap little flesh monger. Your're right I am
But I have always been a loyal servent of the Shahi Mahal.
You were this little when I held you in my arms. I, Fred you with my own hands.
I'd put you to sleep here.
Each and every one of you little wretches live in my heart forever, understand.
Be ready tomorrow. I'll come and get you.
Bibbojaan!
Get up! It's time to go.
Come on, it's time.
Any last wish?
I wish I could see Freedom
No matter what, I wish to see it
I wish I could see Freedom
We wish to see Freedom
No matter what, we wish to see it
We wish to see Freedom
No matter what, we wish to see it
We wish to see Freedom
This tyranny of darkness will one day be forgotten
The flag of love will fly up high
This tyranny of darkness will one day be forgotten
The flag of love will fly up high
We will spread across cities
We wish to see love blossom
We wish to see the dawn of Freedom
We wish to see Freedom
Every crown shall be cast down, meaningless
Our only sovereigns shall be ourselves
Every crown shall be cast down, meaningless
Our only sovereigns shall be ourselves
We wish to see Mother India
Ascend to her throne of glory
We wish to see the dawn of freedom
We wish to see Freedom
No matter what, we wish to see it
We wish to see Freedom
Take positions!
Take aim!
Long Live!
The revolution!
And fire!
I wish I could see Freedom
No matter what, I wish to see it
We wish to see Freedom
No matter what, we wish to see it
We wish to see Freedom
Courtesans trapped in their gilded cages,
didn't need to be taught the value of freedom.
They revolted for the cause of freedom.
They fought battles.
Made sacrifices.
But time forgot their bravery and sacrifice.
A society that couldn't give them their right to property,
was always going to deny them a place in history.
On 15th August, 1947. The struggle for India's freedom came to an end.
But a woman's struggle never ends.
These courtesans began a new struggle of their own.
The struggle to live with their heads held high in a new world.
It would be their lives most important battle.