Sonakshi Sinha is being praised for her role as ‘Fareedan’ in the latest web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. But the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial also received backlash for being factually incorrect. The Netflix series showcased the lives of courtesans during the pre-Independence era. Now reacting to the audience’s criticism, the lead actress of the show said that it never promised a history lesson. She further stated that it was a fictional world created for the audience for a better viewing experience. 

In an interview with ETimes, Sonakshi said “When did we ever promise a history lesson? These are the same people who will love Bridgerton. Yes, Heeramandi is a place that exists in Lahore, but we never told you we were delving into history. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an artist; he has created a world for you. It's a fictionalised version of what was and view it as just entertainment. He's selling you a dream; it's what he's known for.”

The Heeramandi star also shared several photos from her look test on Instagram. Sonakshi captioned the post, “Rehana aapa. AAPA NAHI… HUZOOR!!! Here are some photos from my look test for the cruelest of them all… Rehana. Since i was supposed to be playing my own mother, we wanted to make her slightly different… so I put on some weight and we added a lot more drama with the hair where it was longer and curlier than fareedans and with the makeup where we kept it heavy on the eyes, elongated the eyebrows and added freckles… green lenses too!”

Check out the posts here: 

Netizens reaction on Sonakshi Sinha's look test

As soon as the post was dropped, several online users shared their opinions about the role. A user said, “I can’t get over that clap in beginning… I knew I was gonna get sucked into bhansali s world.” A fan commented, “Loving everything especially the long brows.” A comment read, “She looks very pretty in vintage dresses.” “We wanted more from Rehana in the series,”said another user. 

Also read: Richa Chadha Criticises Nora Fatehi’s Statement On Feminism; Says ‘Those Seek Benefits Of Feminism…’

About Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar

Heeramandi was released on Netflix on 1st May. The series also featured Manisha Koirala, Sharmin Segal, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Richa Chadha as courtesans and Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman as ‘Nawabs’.