Sanjay Leela Bhansali
‘s latest magnum-opus, ‘
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar
,’ had its digital debut on May 1 and has since been captivating viewers with its opulence, glittery sets, and grand depiction of
pre-independent India
in the 1920s.
The 8-episode serires has become the talk of the town and the proof’s in the No 1 ranking on the streaming site.
The show has quickly become one of the most popular online releases of the week, climbing the charts to rule over the top spot. While some have been left starry-eyed from the ‘glam-ification’ of Lahore, others have been more critical towards the ‘historical’ aspects of the show.
Since its release, the show has sparked a wave of discussions online as netizens dissect the
historical accuracy
and other details depicted in the show. “Can some History buff throw light on actual #Heeramandi of Lahore to what’s being showcased in Netflix series,” an X user asked.
Lucky for them, there were plenty of accounts to do the needful and point out the ‘errors’ in Bhansali’s depiction of Heeramandi in the pre-independent India of 1920. On handle by the name, @_SophieSchol shared, “Just watched Heeramandi. Found everything but heermandi in it. I mean either you don’t set your story in 1940’s Lahore, or if you do- you don’t set it in Agra’s landscape, Delhi’s Urdu, Lakhnavi dresses and 1840’s vibe. My not-so-sorry Lahori self can’t really let it go.”
Pointing out the geographical inaccuracies in the show, she says, “To begin with, 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 costumes also became a talking point. One noted the stark differences in the extravagant costumes shown in the SLB production, vs the real life de-glam avatars of the women of Heeramandi. “Bhansali’s search should’ve definitely gone 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 Sabya Sachi on them,” she says.
Another pointed out, “Among other things, terribly disappointed that after all that focus on #costumes&jewellery, with a Rs200 crore budget, SLB couldn’t get the cut of an Englishman’s #suit right. Check out #Gandhi-suits are either double-breasted or with waistcoat.”
One major point of contention revolves around the language and dialogues in the series. “If the story is set in 1940s Lahore, it should have authentically reflected the city’s landscape, language, #urdu fashion, and atmosphere of that time,” one pointed out.
Another shared a clip from the Pakistani film ‘Bol’ and wrote, “When you set up a show or movie in Lahore, Panjab, with Urdu speaking courtesans, this is how you switch between the language and the mood! Unlike #Heeramandi”
Another noticed that a newspaper that Sonakshi is reading in 1920, happed to have headlines from 2022, including topics on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Sharing screenshots of
Sonakshi Sinha
reading the Urdu paper, an X user wrote, “Fareedan (Sonakshi Sinha) is supposedly reading an Urdu newspaper (EP5). Headlines say, ‘Warangal Municipal Elections: TRS Distributes Tickets’, ‘The Launch of a Scheme to Distribute 50,000 Masks by Youth Congress’. And, this is a total give away; ‘Self Confidence Helps in Fight Against Corona: Minister for Panchayat Raj, E Dayakar Rao’s Advice to Patients’.”
Meanwhile, another pointed out another flaw in a scene featuring Sharmin Segal that sees her reading an Urdu book of poems from left to right, instead of right to left. “I think the two best scenes in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Met Gala are where Alamzeb, who is into sher-o-shayari, is shown reading/flipping Urdus books from the left, jaisay English ka koi afsana pad rahi ho,” a netizen commented.
Another fan noticed that the famous novel “Pir-e-Kami’ by Umera Ahmed also featured in the pre-Independance drama. “I was forced to think whether Umira Ahmed’s “Peer Kamil” is a creation before the partition of India or Sanjay Leela Bhansali in the film adaptation. There has been an error in the selection of books from the team,” wrote a fan.
Despite the flaws, many have praised the Bhansali creation for its powerful dialogues and themes of women empowerment. Others marvelled at the visuals, saying, “it is a visually stunning series, arguably the best-made in India so far.” Coupled with powerful performances by the film’s leading ladies including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha,
Aditi Rao Hydari
, and Sanjeeda Shaikh, alongside Sharmin Segal.
Set in pre-Independence India, the series delves into the lives of courtesans in Lahore’s red-light district, offering a glimpse into a bygone era.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the success Heeramandi: It’s a piece that somehow brings us all together
