Sanjay Leela Bhansali's OTT debut Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar has been slammed for glorification of courtesans and historical inaccuracies. Here's how the filmmaker reacted to these criticisms.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made his streaming debut with Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, which premiered earlier this month on Netflix. The show has been praised for its performances, cinematography, and grandeur; but it has also received flak for glorification of courtesans and historical inacuuracies. In a recent interview, the filmmaker defended his show against these criticisms.
As Bhansali has previously depicted courtesans in his films Devdas and Gangubai Kathiawadi, the director was asked what fascinates him about their lives. He told Bollywood Hungama, "These women are, number one, beautiful. These women were very sophisticated and trained in etiquette and they knew the art of living in terms of poetry. They knew tradition, and they knew the art of classical dancing and classical music, but they also had stories of suffering that went through a lot of turmoil."
"And that was the fun of showing them all dressed in those diamonds and the things that they were saying something. They had their own inner politics; they had to fight as much to survive as a middle-class woman or a lower-class woman, a woman or a man has to survive and they go through their own struggles. So, I have not only shown the glamorous part but there are turmoil stories that we created, some from hearsay; some from real characters", the director added.
Defending Heeramandi against the criticism it has received, the Padmaavat director further stated, "My work is not supposed to be seen as if rooted in reality, in a documentary on Lahore and Heeramandi. It's an impression of Lahore. It is an impression of Heeramandi. It's an impression of artisans and living that life. I cannot understand how it can be realistic because I have not lived in that era. I have not seen that world, I cannot document it as, as clearly as the Heermandi of today from the Heeramandi of the 30s or 20s. So when you're creating a work of fiction, it is just to create an experience for you to say what maybe those women went through. That is the joy of filmmaking. I like to create an atmosphere and an impression on your mind of what I perceive that moment to be."
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's show stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Richa Chadha, and Sanjeeda Shaikh in the leading roles. Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman, and Farida Jalal among others are also seen in key roles. Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is streaming on Netflix.
READ | This film was based on iconic love story, actors and director died midway, was released incomplete 23 years later
The DNA app is now available for download on the Google Play Store. Please download the app and share your feedback with us.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi is streaming on Netflix")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}