JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Has Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi glorified courtesans? Co-director Snehil Dixit Mehra has THIS to say
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi is receiving a mixed response for its plot and deviation from reality. Recently, series' co-director Snehil Dixit has denied the claims that it glorifies courtesans.
As much as the web show Heeramandi received appreciation in the first few days of its release, the scenario has turned upside down. The internet is now filled with eagle-eyed netizens finding out several loopholes and mistakes in the show's plot.
On the ideology front, several users have called out Sanjay Leela Bhansali for glorifying courtesans in this 8-episodic series. Now, the series co-director Snehil Dixit Mehra has addressed the controversy.
What is the internet saying about the glorification of courtesans in Heeramandi?
One user wrote on X, “Heeramandi on Netflix is straight trash because it glorifies the worst parts of our society. We’re nearing a century away from when the show is based, but all that exploitation of women, glorification of opulence and excess has not gone away.” Another said, “Heeramandi - In the name of freedom of expression, this movie outright glorifies women in such a demeaning way, has no relevance to any contemporary issues.”
Someone detailed, “SLB always glorifies sickening things in the disguise of aesthetic cinematography. The point is the title dekh kya likha "Dazzling world where love & liberation collide. Jbki Heeramandi ki reality hai Cruel word, r€d light area, s€x trafficking of young girls who got brutally r@ped.”
Heeramandi’s co-director Snehil Dixit Mehra addresses the criticism
Recently while speaking to News18 Showsha, Mehra shared, “Heeramandi isn’t about the glorification of tawaifs. The show is set against the backdrop of the 1920s and the 1940s. At that time, tawaifs were ruling the roost.”
Snehil said that the makers did extensive research before bringing Heeramandi to reality where they also found that these tawaifs were paying much more taxes than the nawabs at one point in time.
Snehil further added, “With the freedom struggle and British trying to break the nautch girls, they lost their dignity in the process. This is the story we’ve chosen to tell. It’s not about the glorification of the tawaifs; it’s just what the story is.”
For the unversed, Heeramandi revolves around the lives of courtesans in the backdrop of India’s freedom movement. Starring Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Manisha Koirala, among others, the series is available to stream on Netflix.
Latest Articles
