Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming drama Heeramandi opposed by Pak actor; netizens hit back

As ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali gears up to narrate the story of Lahore’s red light area, Heera Mandi, in the mega-series Heeramandi, Pakistan actor Ushna Shah raised objections. The actor took to Twitter and showed her displeasure over the web drama and called it ‘appropriation.’ She further mentioned that ‘mimicking the culture of Pakistan’ will make the project lose ‘authenticity’. Soon after her series of posts, the netizens were quick to back the director and share their hot takes on the same.

For the unversed, Heeramandi is about the famous locality in Lahore that had the courtesans and their beauty ruling it for the longest time. Pakistani actor Ushna Shah has called out the filmmaker for making a film about a story that belongs to her homeland. She compared the director making a film about the Heera Mandi to a Pakistani filmmaker directing a movie on Mahabharata.

Pak actor calls out Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi

“Culture collaboration is one thing but this is appropriation. Mimicking ours will make the project lose authenticity! India has a plethora of rich cultures & history to film, this isn’t theirs to make!". She added, "Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sets Netflix Series 'Heeramandi'". One of the users was quick to comment below the post and wrote, “it is set in pre-partition India, so, I don't understand what are you trying to say?”.

Ushna cleared the doubts of the netizen and wrote, “Heera mandi was in Lahore, Lahore is in Pakistan. Its relevance is to the Mughal empire on which Pakistani history is predominantly set. This would be like a Pakistani director making a film about Mahabharata.".

In another tweet, she wrote about how none of the Pakistani filmmakers have ever touched upon that aspect of the Heera Mandi district. “Not a single Netflix original has been made by Pakistan. Heera-Mandi was what is present-day inner-city Lahore. Like I said, India has a plethora of rich cultures & history to film. Today, Mughal history mostly falls into Pakistan’s domain, language/some geography. We needed this”, she added in another tweet. 

Several fans of the director hit back at the actor with their say on the forthcoming web series. One of the users backed Sanjay Leela Bhansali and wrote, “Cinema & art has no boundaries! Richard Attenborough made a film on Gandhi, Ben Kingsley acted as Mahatma Gandhi! Neither India nor the world had any issue with that though India was captivated by the British 4 200 years! Art is never allowed narrow selfish thoughts ever!".

Another user also came out in support of the director and wrote, “Your argument is totally flawed. It’s like saying all Indians should be upset with Sir. Richard Attenborough for making Gandhi. It’s set in pre-partition INDIA and not current-day Pakistan. Just chill and enjoy the show.”. A third user chimed in and tried to explain to the actor about the film was being set in the pre-independence era. “No offense to your concern but the series is settled before partition when India and Pakistan were 1. If the series wud have settled in today's time's ur concern wud be appropriate just wait for what Bhansali has 2 give. till den loving u in Aakhir kab tak as noor”, the user wrote.  

IMAGE: Instagram/@BhansaliProductions/UshnaShah