Pakistani viewer points out historical inaccuracies in Heeramandi; from geography, songs, to costumes: ‘All this budget and no research’
Pakistani viewer points out historical inaccuracies in Heeramandi; from geography, songs, to costumes: ‘All this budget and no research’
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s long-awaited streaming debut, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazar, was released on May 1 to mixed response. The Netflix series, however, is now getting traction for something it would have hoped to avoid: inauthenticity. Set in a prominent red-light district of undivided India, the project, created and directed by Bhansali, follows the lives of courtesans and nawabs. It stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal.
An X user from Lahore posted a long thread, criticising the show for misrepresenting the historical period it is set in, and for exaggerating events, places, and even the costumes. The viewer began their thread by writing that they watched the show but could not find “Heermandi in it.” The viewer wrote, “I mean, either you don’t set your story in 1940s Lahore, or if you do, you don’t set it in Agra’s landscape, Delhi’s Urdu, Lakhnavi dresses and 1840s vibe. My not-so-sorry Lahori self can’t really let it go.”
The viewer continued, “Where exactly is it set? Lake Como? Amalfi Coast? The most evident landmark still visible from every building in today’s remnants of Heera Mandi is the Shahi Qilla-Grand Mosque’s doom and minarets skyline. If you call it Lahore, show Lahore.”
The viewer then claimed that if one were to walk around the real Heeramandi, they wouldn’t find even a single big courtyard. “Those were multi-storey 5/10 mahla kothas/makans at max.” The viewer also pointed out that an average Lahori resident of the 1940s didn’t converse in Urdu, but Punjabi, something that the show gets wrong. They described the songs in the show as “sufiana custard,” which they again claimed don’t accurately represent the time. “Bhansali entire mental logic flows like -hmm>>>Heeramandi>>>Lahore>>>Muslims>>>Urdu>>>Garhi Urdu>>>Mughal-e-Azam/Mizra Ghalib Tier Urdu>>>cast Urdu actors?>>>Na, let’s force the language.”
“And songs? ‘Sakal Ban’ wasn’t the Lahori thing to sing, ‘chaiti bowdi vay tabiba’ was. It was 1940s, Noor Jahan’s Punjabi masterpieces were there – the cinema had platformed many singers from Heeramandi and none of them sounded like whatever Sufiana custard we’re seeing here.”
There was also criticism directed towards costuming, which is something that Bhansali is known for. The X user quipped that the filmmaker should’ve searched beyond “Bridal Couture walks.”
“The courtesan never had the financial security to even remotely afford these jewels. What are these blouses? Saris? Ghagras? Lehngas? Some Punjabi dress maybe? Na, let’s go Sabyasachi on them… It was not a street of glamour, but of exploitation, slavery and filthy poverty. And those who lived there, at least deserve to be seen as they were. Bhansali was just one Google search away from this actual photo of ‘diamond bazar’. No two-story curtain, no makeup/filler/face-lift/brow-lift, chamka-chamki gota kinari flying around in 2 Kanal courtyard and summer heat. Yes, the dresses were fancy, but only in performances.”
The user said while they “get” that the filmmaker took “creative liberties” with the series, a little research would’ve helped. “Blending up your previous projects and calling it ‘dream’ doesn’t really sit right… Plot, dialogue delivery, song selection is another rant-worthy domain. Indian cinema has given us masterpieces. Imagine having all this budget and no research. Khair, uska budget, uski marzi. I rant as I’ve seen that area, interacted with people around there, spent my clinical rotations in hospitals there and I think its story definitely needs to be told, but only after someone actually comes and visits the area he is bringing to life,” the thread ended.
Billed as an epic saga of love, power, revenge and freedom, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar has been the filmmaker’s passion project for 14 years.
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