(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Sanjay Leela Bhansali's series 'Heeramandi' has won over admirers, but it has also received criticism for its romanticised depiction of the life of 'tawaifs' and 'kothas.' Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has criticised the series, claiming that it promotes the lives of courtesans and brothels. Vivek posted a tweet from a Pakistani doctor pointing out flaws in the image of Heeramandi, Lahore's red-light area. He emphasised Bollywood's tendency to glorify such establishments, claiming that brothels reflect 'human injustice and pain,' rather than affluence and beauty.
He penned,“A brilliant critique by @SophieSchol. I haven't seen the show, but I have visited Heeramandi in Lahore a few times. Bollywood has this tendency to romanticize courtesans and brothels. It's a sad commentary because brothels have never been places of opulence, glamour or beauty. These are monuments of human injustice, pain and suffering. Those unfamiliar with this should watch Shyam Benegal's Mandi.”
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Vivek asked his followers to consider the effects of romanticising human suffering in art. He continued,“Also, a question we must ask: Does creativity give us the freedom to glamorize human suffering? Is it okay to make a film where slum life is depicted as a life of abundance? Is it okay to portray slum dwellers wearing clothes as if they are attending an Ambani wedding? Pl discuss.”
On the other hand, another filmmaker Shekhar Kapur went gaga over the show, he also lauded Manisha Koirala's performance. Kapur wrote,“Sanjay Leela Bhansali's cinematic art is so seductive. He pulls you into his world and mesmerises you. His images stayed with me long after I binge watched the whole of #Heeramandi in one go.. and what an effective performance by Manisha Koirala. Finally Netflix is giving Indian filmmakers budgets they deserve.”
About Heeramandi:
Heeramandi delves into the life of tawaifs throughout India's independence struggle from the 1920s to the 1940s in Lahore's Heera Mandi. The series stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman in key parts.
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The clip was published earlier this month and took spectators to a time when courtesans ruled as queens. The series explores the cultural realities of the eponymous district of Heera Mandi via the stories of courtesans and their patrons, set against the volatile backdrop of India's Independence fight in the 1940s.
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