Sanjay Leela Bhansali's passionate project 'Heera Mandi' was recently officially announced by Netflix. The show will follow the lives of courtesans in the red light district of pre independence Lahore. Since the film is set in Pakistan, the announcement created quite a buzz there as well. Several Pakistani artists pointed out the irony of situation where an Indian filmmaker is exploring an iconic story of Pakistan.

Yasir Hussain shared, "This [Heera Mandi] is in Lahore but the movie is being produced by Indians.cThen we will criticise how they [Indians] showed false narrative. God knows when we will talk about such issues, when we will tell our stories."

Mansha Pasha stated, "India is making a film on Lahore and the infamous Heera Mandi of yesteryears because we live in a country where the fictional narrative is often censored and everyone keeps arguing about what is or isn't ‘morally acceptable’ fiction," the Laal Kabootar star began.

"Others make most of the opportunity, taking up the stories that are native to our country, brand them and sell them to the rest of the world. In the end, what will be left will be our stories told from someone else mouth."