Ushna Shah continues to lament why ‘Heeramandi’ is not India’s story to tell

The actor asserted that the Sanjay Leela Bhansali series should have been made in Pakistan

In a continuation of her comments against Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming Netflix series Heeramnadi, based on the locality in Lahore, Ushna Shah took to Twitter to elaborate on how, according to the actor, it is an appropriation of Pakistani culture.

Shah, who previously stressed on Instagram that the series wasn’t “their’s to make”, tweeted, “It isn’t about permission. Banaanay koh toh they can make anything. Of course, it was all India once. But if the little history that leans towards Pakistani culture/language/city is also commissioned to India to make, what historical film will Pakistan make?”

Also.. it isn’t about permission. Banaanay koh toh they can make anything. Of course it was all India once. But if the little history that leans towards Pakistani culture/language/city is also commissioned to India to make what historical film will Pakistan make?

— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) September 30, 2021

She wrote in a separate tweet that the story was what Pakistan “needed”. The actor asserted, “India has a plethora of rich culture and history to film. Today, Mughal history mostly falls into Pakistan’s domain, language/some geography. We needed this.”

Not a single Netflix original has been made by Pakistan. Heera-Mandi was what is present day inner city Lahore. Like I said, India has a plethora of rich culture & history to film. Today, Mughal history mostly falls into Pakistan’s domain, language/some geography. We needed this.

— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) September 30, 2021

Previously, Shah commented on a news post about the series on Instagram, writing, “Netflix doesn’t fund original projects for Pakistan. This is an opportunity taken away from Pakistani directors and filmmakers. Collaboration is one thing but this is appropriation."

The actor went on to provide points for why she thinks this is so, writing about how it would be equally unacceptable for a Pakistani to make a film or TV series on the Mahabharata. She continued, “Heeramandi is set in Lahore which is in Pakistan, and even if we abide by the pre-partition argument: Mughal history is often denied by India and it is what Pakistani history is set on (school books etc). India has a plethora of rich culture and history to base films on, whereas we predominantly relate to the Mughals. This would be like a Pakistani director making Mahabharata.”