Does Heera Mandi' by Sanjay Leela Bhansali Respect Women's Dignity?

The public's opinions about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Netflix series "Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar" have been divided. The historical drama received criticism from director Vivek Agnihotri, who said, "Bollywood has this tendency to romanticize courtesans and brothels." Snehil Dixit Mehra, co-director of the show, responded to Agnihotri's remark. She stated, "Heeramandi isn't about glorifying tawaifs," in a recent interview."I think he hasn't watched the show. The glorifying of tawaifs is not the purpose of Heeramandi. The 1920s and 1940s provide a setting for the show. Wawains were in charge at the time, Mehra told News18.She also mentioned how, in the 1920s and 1940s, she and Bhansali discovered via their research for "Heeramandi" that courtesans were paying higher taxes than "nawabs.""We researched the show well before we produced it. We discovered throughout our investigation that these tawaifs were so wealthy that, despite their fraudulent accounting, they were paying higher taxes than the nawabs, Mehra continued.Agnihotri wrote on X, "I haven't seen the show, but I have visited Heeramandi in Lahore a few times," acknowledging that he hasn't watched "Heeramandi" yet. Bollywood has a propensity to romanticize prostitutes and couturiers. It's a depressing observation because brothels have never been luxurious, glamorous, or exquisite settings.

These serve as memorials to injustice, misery, and agony in humankind. People who haven't seen this should watch Mandi (sic) by Shyam Benegal."The director of "The Kashmir Files" went on, saying, "We also need to consider this: Does creativity allow us to romanticize human suffering? Is it permissible to create a movie in which people living in slums are shown as having plenty? Is it OK to depict people living in slums dressed like they're attending an Ambani wedding? Please talk about (sic)."Mehra clarified the story that the creators of "Heeramandi" have attempted to tell while outlining their position. They lost their dignity as a result of the freedom war and the British attempts to break the nautch girls. We have decided to tell this particular tale. It's just the nature of the story; it has nothing to do with glorifying the tawaifs. To get our message, he (Agnihotri) needs to watch the series first, she continued.