Bhansali's lens offers a nuanced perspective, celebrating the labour of women in preserving cultural heritage while challenging prevailing narratives of marginalisation.

Image credit: Netflix India – a star-studded cast featuring Manisha Koirala as Malikajaan, Sonakshi Sinha as Rehaana Begum/Fareedanjaan, Aditi Rao Hydari as Bibbojaan, Sanjeeda Sheikh as Waheedajaan, Richa Chadha as Lajjo and Sharmin Segal as Alamzeb

For decades, the saga that is Heeramandi has brewed within the playgrounds of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's mind. A project marked by numerous renditions and cast changes, it stands as a testament to Bhansali's unwavering dedication to craft a narrative that transcends mere storytelling.

Unsurprisingly, it’s also one that navigates and explores the contexts of gender within Indian society and the contexts of cultural preservation and evolution. In delving into the intricacies of womanhood, societal expectations, and the evolution of cultural norms, Heeramandi emerges not just as a tale of the past but as a thoughtful reflection of contemporary struggles and triumphs - including the notion of being subdued and oppressed, even if the fight for physical freedom is one that was conquered by our ancestors long before our time.

Image Credit: Brown History Substack – An image of a young Tawaif in the real Heeramandi as reference to this saga and the visual undercurrents that starkly differ between the series and real history of Lahore’s red light district

The enemy of a woman is not a woman

At the heart of Heeramandi lies a tapestry of relationships, both tender and tumultuous among its many female characters – one that is also a rare sight to see coming out of Indian cinema. Bhansali masterfully juxtaposes camaraderie and enmity, revealing the complexities that underscore women's interactions with each other. Through characters like Rehaana Begum and Malaika Jaan, we witness the dichotomy of sisterhood and betrayal, each action laden with societal implications and devastating personal repercussions that transcend generationally with Malaikajaan’s rivalry with Rehaana Begum’s daughter, Fareedan.

Central to the narrative is the exploration of the confines of womanhood within a patriarchal society. The series is introduced with Rehaana Begum sealing the fate of her sister, Malaikajaan’s son, and her nephew, whom she gives to a nawaab while her sister sleeps shortly after giving birth. Compared to Malaika Jaan's female children whom we are introduced to shortly after, this serves as a stark reminder of the double standards imposed on women.

Despite both enjoying wealth and privilege, the paths of Malaikajaan’s children diverge dramatically, reflecting the entrenched expectations and limitations placed upon them based on gender. On one hand, her female children are pushed to carry the weight of the Tawaif lineage within their house in Heeramandi, whilst her son, renamed Zoravar, unbeknownst to him, enjoys the lavish life of a Nawab and also ironically frequents his birth mother’s residence. This subplot concludes for the audience to reflect on with Malaikajaan revealing to Nawaab Zoravar at his wedding, in front of all of his guests, about his origins. In response to his abuse against Lajjo, of whom he was a long time patron, she reveals that the same people he disrespects are the same people and environment he was produced from. This subplot sets the stage for further social dynamics that are explored within the series.

Video credit: Netflix India – check out the scene between Malaikajaan and her son, renamed Zorawar, where she dicloses his mysterious origins after he brutalises Lajjo at his wedding

At the end of the saga, it is seen that all rivalries are squashed against a common enemy. Albeit, it is the coloniser that ends up being the enemy, it is also the patriarchal coloniser who deepens the harms and hurts between women. This is a central theme to much of the concepts that the series explores, including the genderisation of freedom movements and resistance.

It’s easier to fight for freedom when it’s not gendered

The character of Taj, the leading man of the series, returning from Britain with preconceived notions about Tawaifs, embodies the clash between tradition and modernity, as well as the overlap of East and West through the ongoing effects of the act of colonisation. His journey towards acceptance mirrors society's struggle to reconcile sensuality and womanhood with societal norms.

Through this idea, Bhansali skillfully dismantles Orientalist tropes, exposing the destructive impact of external influences on indigenous cultures and identities.

North India, including Punjab, is no doubt a regional hotbed full of colonisation and heavy militarism through various conquests over thousands of years including the Turkish, the Greeks, the Iranians and the Mughals. Yet, the cultures of so many have blended to develop the artistry of women and blend cultural archetypes into one that is distinct. Even if it does not fully represent Punjabi culture, it does outline how life was like for a specific sect of people within society pre-Partition.

*Image Credit: Netflix India – Sharmin Segal as Alamzeb and Taha Shah Badussha as Tajdaar Baloch*

Within Taj’s character development, the audience sees how easy it is for him to come on board to the idea of freedom fighting and resistance, yet, the hardest thing for him despite his radicalist, educated and modern views is the idea of where his lover comes from. His own development as a character sees him from being absolutely opposed to the ideas and values that Tawaifs represent.

Although he softens to the idea as he further interacts with his love interest, Alamzeb, Taj still very much embodies this during his interactions with the British police – focussing his defence on his repulsion of Alamzeb’s background and what it represents. Did he need to go this far to defend himself? Probably not. He does so anyway, ensuring that humiliating Alamzeb as a woman, specifically for her background and where she comes from, becomes the focal point of his own defence for the sake of the revolution.

The irony of this weighs heavily on the audience. Revolution and freedom come at the cost of being a woman, and the most taboo idea within the grounds of the series is that of being a Tawaif and what it represents to be one.

Moreover, Heeramandi underscores the intergenerational transmission of culture and resilience. The legacy of Tawaifs as patrons of the arts and custodians of tradition is portrayed through generations, highlighting their enduring impact despite societal ostracisation. Even within the challenges of a starkly changing society at the height of social and cultural tensions and divide, tawaifs harness their subdued and underlying identity of being women, serving their nation, and being stewards of their culture.

Bhansali's lens offers a nuanced perspective, celebrating the labour of women in preserving cultural heritage while challenging prevailing narratives of marginalisation. And even in the context of having many riches, they aren’t much in comparison to the freedom of being a male in a patriarchal society.

*Image credit: The Hindu – even within the scope of having material riches, Tawaifs are subject to ample marginalisation and stigmatisation within society*

Bibbojaan’s symbology is unique in the realm of celebrating Indian Freedom Fighters in History and Cinema

Bibbojaan emerges as a symbol of unwavering resilience and defiance against oppression. From her beginnings and introduction within the saga, until the very end, she embodies the spirit of a freedom fighter, confronting adversity with unmatched courage that is highlighted by her softness as a woman in her day to day life. However, what lingers hauntingly in the aftermath is the brutal stripping of her womanhood — a visceral portrayal of the sacrifices women make in the fight for freedom, liberation, and equality.

Image credit: The Hindu – featuring Aditi Rao Hydari as Bibbojaan and Fardeen Khan as Wali Saab, a nawaab and patron of Bibbojaan who often kept her informed of tensions between British colonisers and rebellion fighters.

As the series concludes, within the climax itself, we witness Bibbojaan's journey marked by bloodshed and bruises, the product of torture from colonising British officers, and each inflicted wound becomes a testament to her unyielding determination. Yet, it is the callous severance of her hair that cuts deepest and perhaps becomes the most jarring part of the scene, devoid of any reverence or symbolism of sanctity nor womanliness. This scene is a visual depiction of an attack against the divine feminine – one that is not very different to how the idea of Tawaifs is approached by the British throughout the series as is.

Further to this, unlike the portrayal of male freedom fighters, who often step into their execution chambers adorned with symbols of strength and valour, Bibbojaan is denied this visual homage and honouring. Instead, she confronts her fate with a rawness that speaks volumes of the injustices endured by women in the shadows of history. Even in her pursuit of freedom, she is not visually depicted as a wild woman in her own terms, rather, it is done to her to strip her of her dignity.

The only courage and valour we get to see as an audience in comparison to all the films about Shaheed Udham Singh and Shaheed Bhagat Singh is the courage in Bibbojaan’s eyes, and within the voices of the women supporting her behind the wall of the chamber.

In portraying the labour of women in freedom movements, Heeramandi confronts the erasure of female contributions to history as a byproduct.

The character of Bibbojaan epitomises this struggle, her sacrifice and resilience — qualities rarely explored with such depth and nuance through a female lens in cinematic settings within the history of Indian cinema until now — are starkly overshadowed by societal indifference to the topic itself.

Image Credit: Netflix India – Bibbojaan moments before her execution: her visual depiction is tattered, bruised, and violated in juxtaposition of many male freedom fighters in the context of Hindi cinema

Heeramandi disrupts conventional narrative and traditionalist ideas on what a freedom fighter looks like, sounds like, and acts like. It shines a glaring light on the erasure of women's contributions whilst celebrating a woman in her pursuit of freedom with the singing echoes of other women – many of whom Bibbojaan had tensions with within the saga – in support of her.

While male counterparts in Indian cinema are lauded for their bravery, Bibbojaan's story remains a silent testament to the countless women whose sacrifices have been overshadowed by patriarchal narratives, and it’s one that still weighs heavy and speaks to the female condition four to five generations later – within India and within the diaspora as well.

As such, then, Bhansali deftly exposes the hypocrisy of heroism, where male freedom fighters are glorified while their female counterparts are marginalised and stripped of their dignity.

Video of Azadi, a juxtaposition of how freedom fighters are traditionally shown in Indian cinema. Video credit goes to Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions

Not your woman, no matter our class

While undoubtedly entertaining, the growing and long-lasting trend of item songs perpetuate harmful stereotypes, undermining the intrinsic beauty and symbolism of womanhood. Women are the creators of life itself, and whether in the realm of prostitution depicted in films like Gangubai Kathiawadi, or the world of high society artistry embodied by characters like Bibbojaan, women play indispensable roles in shaping our lives and society.

Yet, despite our multifaceted contributions, and despite our positions within social classes themselves, society frequently fails to accord us the respect and recognition we deserve.

Thought paradigms in Heeramandi rise in existence today

In essence, Heeramandi transcends the confines of historical drama, offering a profound reflection on the complexities of womanhood and societal expectations. Through Bhansali's artistry, it becomes a poignant reminder of the enduring struggle for equality and the resilience of the human spirit, as well as the female struggle for liberation. The world is modern, it has changed so much since the time period in which Heeramandi is set.

But when you look at headlines in India, crimes against women are still at an all time high. Within the diaspora, a quick look will show an emergence of alarmingly rising movements of conservatism, be it in Hinduvta circles or right-wing Sikh circles, a woman’s value isn’t much beyond her labour for a movement or giving birth to keep a kom (community) alive and well-numbered. We are not welcome in academic settings even if we have the same (or honestly, a lot more) qualifications than our male contemporaries and counterparts. Headlines about gang rapes of women, or the secret filming of women taking a shower or engaging in intimacy with their partners still very much come out of Indian news outlets on the regular.

This is no different than the horrific plot tool of Malaikajaan being gang raped by British officers for the freedom of her daughter, Alamzeb. Women still very much suffer at the hands of men – just this time, it’s not in a colonised setting, it’s a different form of repression and oppression. It’s our own men doing it to us, in a literal sense, because man cannot be born nor borne without woman.

Image Credit: ComingSoon.net – Fareedan, Malaika and Waheeda tearfully and powerfully walk to the jail where Bibbojaan will be executed for rebellion. In this scene, they powerfully fight British officers and croon about the freedom of their country

Closing Thoughts

As the curtains draw on this saga, the echoes of its narrative reverberate, urging us to reevaluate our perceptions of gender, freedom, and cultural heritage. Heeramandi will be, no doubt, subject to its own criticisms by numerous groups of people for different aspects of the narrative, including and not limited to creative, artistic and historical perspectives. But, it also does a lot of good with full intention of juxtaposing against narratives of sensuality, the arts, and generational patronage. Ultimately, this saga speaks to Bhansali’s ongoing message speaking to the masses that you cannot separate a woman from her sensuality, but reducing her to a mere sexual object is a notion that is indeed destroying our world and our microcultures within it.

Koimoi Heeramandi – Himmat Media — *Image credit: Koimoi*

Heeramandi is a saga that is available to watch on Netflix India. What are your thoughts on the series? Let us know!

Resilience and Rebellion: The Women of Heeramandi Represent Ongoing Struggles of Female Liberation

Breaking Borders: Diljit Dosanjh's Impact on Representing Punjabi Artists Globally