Ex-Courtesans slam ‘Heeramandi’ for Glorifying their Past

The Netflix series Heeramandi has sparked a renewed interest in Pakistan’s historic red light district of Heera Mandi.

The show portrays courtesans in a glamorous light, consorting with aristocrats and forging influential alliances.

However, former 65-year-old sex worker Shagufta* disputed the portrayal.

She stated that the reality is far from the glamour depicted in the show.

Shagufta said: “This is not what Heera Mandi is like.

“Now the girls just put their bodies on display. There is nothing left in Heera Mandi.”

Tracing back seven generations of women in her family who worked as “tawaifs” in Heera Mandi, Shagufta started dancing and being prostituted at 12.

While courtesans did command respect for their artistry in dance and music during the Mughal period, the show’s portrayal is not accurate.

The show’s popularity has led to a surge in interest on social media.

Influencers are dressing up in traditional costumes and lip-syncing to the show’s songs and dialogues.

Cultural researcher Naveen Zaman sees the show as an opportunity to revive an uncomfortable history and start conversations about the tawaif culture.

Tawaif culture was considered taboo in the past and is still a taboo in Pakistan.

However, for sex workers like Noor, the show does not change the stigma associated with their profession.

Noor was forced into sex work as a child, leading to her being ostracised by her relatives.

This is the harsh reality of sex work in present-day Pakistan.

Classical Indian dancer Manjari Chaturvedi has been working to reclaim the culture of courtesans for 15 years.

She calls the Netflix series a “missed opportunity” when it comes to creating a different narrative for women who were stigmatised for their work.

The show’s focus on sexuality rather than art perpetuates the same stigma, according to Chaturvedi.

The history of Heera Mandi is complex, with the courtesans holding significant influence during the Mughal era.

However, during British rule, the neighbourhood was relegated to a red-light zone.

The sex trade was pushed further into the shadows after Pakistan gained independence.

A police crackdown in 2009 shut down the brothels, ending the music and dancing that was once a common thing.

A user wrote: “To disrespect tawaifs like this and show a false reality in Heeramandi is quite unfair to these women.”

Another added: “We should understand that these women were forced to do this.

“Romanticising and glamorising something that scarred them for life is something very concerning.”

One said: “It is a taboo and it should stay a taboo.”