Heera mandi on Netflix, a review by Fariha Munir Shah

Pakistan and India acquired their freedom 77 years ago. Yet, Indians still seem obsessed with the culture and history of the part, which was separated from them in 1947. Their film makers have not set foot in this part of the sub continent. They know nothing of its culture, mannerism, even fashions, but they are fascinated by Pakistani women. They have created an imaginary world about them and make movies, spin stories, fantasize about its women. Dress, undress them like paper dolls, attribute characteristics and personalities as 'they' wish them to be. 

The most annoying part of it all remains, they blatantly steal music and stories from Pakistan and do not give credit, acknowledge or appreciate the original writers or makers. Here, I want to bring your attention to the latest Netflix series, ' heera mandi '. The basic structure of the story, about rivalry of two sisters from professional, 'singing and dancing', families is clearly lifted from 'Hum tv' drama serial, 'deewar e shab'. Once you have seen the drama, it is impossible to unsee the parallels. Sanjay Leela Bhansali just added his regular ingredients, chandeliers, fire, sequins, glitter, dull, dark vibe.

Alam Zeb from Indian serial, belongs to 'tawaif family', but does not want to become one. She likes to read and write poetry. Just like Geti Ara, from 'dewar e shab'. The elopement scene. In Hum tv drama, it was the aunt, who encourages her niece 'Feroza', to flee for love. Whereas, in 'heera mandi' it is aunt's daughter, helping her cousin. When the basic intent behind both, was to remove major 'diamond' from the rival family, to capture the market.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali should have atleast seen movies about tawaifs made by his own country, like Pakeezah or Umrao Jan. The entire script of Heera Mandi is completely misleading. One hilarious flaw in the story is the open discussion carried out in a family gathering by hero's grandma, to send Tajwar Baloch to Heeramandi to LEARN something. When he had already completed his education from UK. Do you believe, those women really excelled in literature, Mathematics or religion, than the scholars whom influential families patronized for educating their boys? No! they were never so well qualified. Mention of a 'tawaif' in a respectable family was considered dishonorable. They were not allowed to mingle or socialize with such families. Nawabs were not gladly allowed by their families to visit that area. It was not something to be proud of. Those who indulged in it, were considered corrupt and immoral. Some were even disowned by their inheritance as disapproval from their families. Although, they did hire the services of tawaifs at home to teach their girls, who were brides to be- to acquaint them of the etiquettes of wedding night. As women of honorable families were not allowed to and were too shy to discuss these matters. That too, was a sign of a liberal family, not the conventional, religious ones, they did not even allow them at weddings. Instead, there were qawalis and milaads at such occasions. Neither music, nor the poetry of heeramandi has substance. The colors are dull and depressive. Sanjay Leela Bhansali should come out of the monotony of his color palette. Even in Nawab Zorawar's wedding scene, color combination of men and women's dressing seem to be part of the walls. Who likes so much of uniformity as in, that particular scene.

I have heard, S L Bhansali is being blamed of nepotism for casting his niece, Sharmin Segal in the leading role. Atleast, he or anyone from the production team should have visited Lahore to witness in person, the kind of beautiful women present there. The entire team of big names he has added, does not qualify for becoming even their hand maidens, let alone the tawaifs of those times, who were brought and settled by British from Russian states and Afghanistan. British shaped this place as what it is known for today.

Also, SLB should have made the heroine learn proper pronunciations of major Urdu words like 'خدا' with 'خ' instead of 'khay' English/Hindi style. Imagine,' کھ' in place of 'خ'. In Urdu 'خدا' means God. Whereas, ‘کھدا' means 'digging'. We know, it is a lingual disability for Indians to be unable to utter many of Urdu words, but over such things and proper pronunciations, selections are made in auditions and performers are rejected. Indeed, nepotism of the worst kind is seen here.

If we talk about the history of 'heeramandi', it was not these women who were regarded as 'diamonds'. It was founded as a grain market in the name of  'Heera Singh Dogra', a prime minister of Punjab, during the reign of  Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. It was later shaped by British for their own merry making to what earned this place this reputation. As a total disrespect for its surroundings.

First time ever, we came across a realization that these women contributed in the freedom of sub continent. Surely was the best part and thank God, Indian creators extended a little respect by acknowledging it about women they brought to the world as sex workers, not as artists.

In the end, I want you all, capable of reading Urdu, to look at the title of the newspaper, this actress is reading.

I fail to understand this word, 'Oh zee tay'? Is it an Urdu word? If not, then my dear friends, this is exactly, what Sanjay Leela Bhansali has done to this show. It makes no sense, is far from reality, everything is beautiful about it except the heroine, music and poetry.