Vivek Agnihotri criticises Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi for ‘romanticising courtesans and brothels’: ‘These are monuments of human injustice and suffering’

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri recently expressed his disapproval of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi, accusing it of romanticising the lives of courtesans and brothels.

Vivek Agnihotri criticised Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi. (Pic: Vivek/Instagram)

While Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s fans have been captivated by the beauty of Heeramandi, the web series has faced criticism from various quarters for romanticising portrayal of the lives of ‘tawaifs’ and ‘kothas.’ Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval of the series, accusing it of romanticising the lives of courtesans and brothels.

Vivek shared a post from a Pakistani doctor highlighting inaccuracies in the depiction of Heeramandi, the red-light district in Lahore. In his commentary, Vivek emphasised the tendency of Bollywood to glamorise such establishments, noting that brothels are actually sites of ‘human injustice and suffering’ rather than opulence and beauty.

He wrote, “A brilliant critique by @_SophieSchol. I haven’t seen the show, but I have visited Heeramandi in Lahore a few times. Bollywood has this tendency to romanticize courtesans and brothels. It’s a sad commentary because brothels have never been places of opulence, glamour or beauty. These are monuments of human injustice, pain and suffering. Those unfamiliar with this should watch Shyam Benegal’s Mandi.”

A brilliant critique by @_SophieSchol. I haven’t seen the show, but I have visited Heeramandi in Lahore a few times. Bollywood has this tendency to romanticize courtesans and brothels. It’s a sad commentary because brothels have never been places of opulence, glamour or beauty.… https://t.co/D56qU0Zyg0

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) May 4, 2024

Seeking input from his followers, Vivek posed questions about the implications of glamoriding human suffering in creative works. He wrote, “Also, a question we must ask: Does creativity give us the freedom to glamorize human suffering? Is it okay to make a film where slum life is depicted as a life of abundance? Is it okay to portray slum dwellers wearing clothes as if they are attending an Ambani wedding? Pl discuss.”

Also read | Heeramandi: Enough with celebrating ‘tawaifs’ and ‘kothas’, there’s nothing to applaud in non-consensual sex

Set against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement from 1920s to 1940s, Heeramandi delves into the lives of tawaifs in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore. The series features a star-studded cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman in key roles.

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