Actor Ushna Shah is not exactly excited about Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming Netflix series about Lahore’s redlight district Heeramandi.
Titled Heeramandi, the series was greenlit at Netflix earlier in August with Sanjay Leela Bhansali describing it as “a huge saga about the courtesans of Lahore” and a “very vast and ambitious” project for him.
On Monday, Balaa star Ushna Shah shared an article from Variety, published in August, announcing the series and slammed Bhansali for “appropriating” our culture. read more
“Culture collaboration is one thing but this is appropriation. Mimicking ours will make the project lose authenticity!” she said, adding, “India has a plethora of rich culture and history to film, this isn’t theirs to make!”
Culture collaboration is one thing but this is appropriation. Mimicking ours will make the project lose authenticity! India has a plethora of rich culture & history to film, this isn’t theirs to make!
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sets Netflix Series ‘Heeramandi’ https://t.co/QXRNjwBUtU
— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) September 27, 2021
It’s important to note here that Bhansali’s upcoming Netflix series is set in pre-partition, undivided India – the Heeramandi area in Lahore became a part of Pakistan after the partition of the Indian subcontinent.
When presented with this fact, Ushna Shah further asserted her stance, saying, “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.”
Heera mandi was in Lahore, Lahore is in Pakistan. It’s 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.
— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) September 27, 2021
Many users disagreed with Ushna’s message, with one commenting, “I understand where she was coming from but calling it “cultural appropriation” seems so far fetched to me.”
Another argued, “Our culture is highly inspired by Indian culture and I’m sure if a Pakistani director/producer gets a chance to make a film based on Indian culture, they won’t show hesitation.”
View this post on Instagram
However, some also agreed with her. One comment read: “For the first time I agree with her stance, this looks like another political plot to make Pakistan look bad by the Indian film industry.”
