Sanjay Leela Bhansali is often considered one of the most proficient directors of Bollywood. After wrapping his film 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', Bhansali has now focused his attention on his first web show titled 'Heera Mandi'. This is his passion project and he wants to leave no stone unturned to make it just perfect. 'Heera Mandi' will be produced on a grand scale with about a dozen mainstream actreses acting in it.

However, the subject matter of the project has unsettled some people in Pakistan. Since the show will revolve around lives of sex workers in pre independent Lahore's popular red light area named Heera Mandi, some people from the neighbouring country believe that it is unethical of Bhansali to tell a story which is ingenious to their country. Pak actress Ushna Shah recently tweeted, "Culture collaboration is one thing but this is appropriation. Mimicking ours will make the project lose authenticity! India has a plethora of rich cultures & history to film, this isn’t theirs to make!”

She further claimed that Bhansali making 'Heera Mandi' is as outrageous as a Pakistani making film on Mahabharata. She wrote, "Heera mandi was in Lahore, Lahore is in Pakistan. It’s relevance is to the Mughal empire on which Pakistani history is predominantly set. This would be like a Pakistani director making a film about Mahabharata."

Culture collaboration is one thing but this is appropriation. Mimicking ours will make the project lose authenticity! India has a plethora of rich culture & history to film, this isn’t theirs to make!

Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sets Netflix Series ‘Heeramandi’ https://t.co/QXRNjwBUtU

— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) September 27, 2021

Heera mandi was in Lahore, Lahore is in Pakistan. It’s relevance is to the Mughal empire on which Pakistani history is predominantly set. This would be like a Pakistani director making a film about Mahabharata.

— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) September 27, 2021