Popular Indian director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is set to make a digital debut with a web series on Lahore’s red light area, Heera Mandi. The film is set in the pre-partition times and will cover the story in series. The web series will tell stories of Lahore’s courtesans.
Netflix revealed that they are collaborating with the filmmaker for the new web series Heeramandi. “We are excited to announce that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi IS COMING TO NETFLIX. Words aren’t enough to explain how excited we are that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is partnering with us for this epic Netflix Original series but these emojis come pretty close (sic),” read Netflix’s caption.
A statement describes Heeramandi as ‘Where courtesans were queens’. The cast of the series has not been revealed yet but Bhansali in an interview with Variety said that “It is a huge saga about the courtesans of Lahore, it is something I was living with for 14 years. It’s very vast and ambitious.”
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Heera Mandi is a famous historic red-light area near the Badshahi Mosque in the walled city of Lahore. The name translates to ‘Diamond Market’.
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Actor Yasir Hussain has a lot to say
Meanwhile, Pakistani actor Yasir Hussain questioned that why Pakistani directors and producers do not capitalize on such ideas.
“This is in Lahore and the movie is being made by Indians,” wrote actor Yasir Hussain in his Instagram Stories.
“Then we’ll say everything was portrayed incorrectly. I don’t know when we’ll talk about our things when we’ll tell our own stories,” he wrote in his social media message.
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Earlier, Yasir Hussain had objected to the casting of Turkish actors in the advertisements campaigns by Pakistani brands. He argued that brands should promote Pakistani talent and artists that would flourish and support the local art industry. He, however, faced mixed responses from the users from co-stars and celebrities. Some supported his stance while others argued that even Pakistani stars are also looking for opportunities to work in foreign film and art industries.