Sanjay Leela Bhansali says he views India and Pakistan ‘as one’, received no pushback for telling story about Muslims in Lahore: ‘Heeramandi brings us together’

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali spoke about the decision to tell a story about Muslim characters in Lahore in his debut streaming series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, which has been released at a time when Pakistani artists still aren’t welcomed with open arms in India. He also acknowledged the love and respect that he receives from Pakistani audiences, and said that the show ‘brings us all together’.

In an interview with IndieWire, Bhansali spoke about telling a story set in Lahore, and what he feels about his Pakistani audience. “There was so much love that I received from Pakistan, people waiting for it anxiously, waiting for this to be told,” he said. “It’s a piece that somehow brings us all together, when all India was one, it was undivided. These people belong to us as much as they belong to them. I think they belong to both of us and both countries are showing a lot of love for finally the show being made. I still feel we’re all one, I still feel that we’re all connected in so many ways. There’s a lot of love for people on both sides, leave aside a few people would want to create issues — but those are not relevant.”

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Bhansali is familiar with ‘issues’ being created around his work. A bounty was put on Deepika Padukone’s head ahead of the release of Padmaavat. He was physically attacked by members of a fringe outfit on the film’s set. Bhansali told IndieWire that he didn’t face any pushback while making Heeramandi, which doesn’t have any non-Muslim or Sikh characters of note. “There are things in the characters that connect to people in my work,” he said. “That is why they talk about it. A lot of people like it, a lot of people don’t like it. It’s a part of a give-and-take with an audience and filmmaker. I don’t mind being loved when they give me love, and I don’t mind quite being criticised when they don’t connect to my work.”

In a previous interview, Bhansali had spoken about setting Heeramandi up many years ago with major movie stars such as Kareena Kapoor and Rekha, and then with Pakistani actors such as Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas. The show was eventually released on May 1, with Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman.