Richa Chadha is riding high on the success of her latest show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Along with her, the show also stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Sharmin Segal, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman in pivotal roles.
In an interview with Midday, Richa spoke about Pakistani actors deeming Heeramandi a case of cultural appropriation. She also highlighted that the two countries India and Pakistan shares an iconic history.
During the conversation, when she was question about how many actors in Pakistan feel Heeramandi, which tells the story of Lahore’s courtesans, is an attempt at appropriation. To which she said, “I don’t see it as appropriation. My character’s name is Lajwanti. My grandfather is a Punjabi from Lahore, Sharmin’s grandfather studied in Lahore University. Our roots are the same. Most of us would love to see a world without borders, [bound] by a spirit of love. Appropriation would be Rooney Mara playing Tiger Lily in Pan [2015]. In the original story, Tiger Lily was a princess from the Piccaninny tribe, native Americans who inhabit Neverland. Here, we are the same race.”
Furthermore speaking about the character from her show, she said, “Lajjo is a human reflection of this world’s pain, of people’s loneliness. She suffers from lack of love and wants to belong to someone desperately. People have always seen me play a tomboy or a boisterous part. This is a shift."
The period drama from Sanjay Leela Bhansali follows the lives, loves, and tragedies of 1920s courtesans. It is currently streaming on Netflix.
