In a recent series of tweets, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri expressed strong concerns regarding Bollywood’s portrayal of brothels and courtesans, sparked by Pakistani doctor Hamd Nawaz’s critique of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series, “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.”
Agnihotri lamented the industry’s tendency to romanticize these establishments, emphasizing that brothels have historically been places of suffering rather than opulence or glamour. He commended Hamd’s criticism and recommended watching Shyam Benegal’s “Mandi” for a more realistic portrayal.
He posed thought-provoking questions about the responsibility of creativity, questioning whether it is acceptable to glamorize human suffering in films, citing examples of depicting slum life as abundant and portraying slum dwellers in extravagant attire.
Richa Chadha, who stars in “Heeramandi,” shared a touching moment from a screening where Rekha kissed her baby bump, highlighting the emotional depth of the project.
Set against the backdrop of India’s freedom struggle in the 1940s, “Heeramandi” promises to be an epic saga of love, power, revenge, and freedom, boasting a star-studded cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, and Aditi Rao Hydari.