Since the release of Heeramandi, which was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first foray into directing for OTT, the country has been swept by the re-emergence of a fascination with courtesans. The rich and complicated history of the tawaifs of Lahore, depicted in the show, has rediscovered with people sharing images of present-day Heeramandi in Lahore and revelling in the wonders it once housed. Several places in India, too, boast of the exuberant tawaif culture, and Lucknow is one such place.
Courtesans enjoyed patronage from the Nawabs of Lucknow, and well-respected households sent their sons to Tawaif kothas to learn “tehzeeb” or etiquette. Thus, The Tawaifs of Awadh were the original custodians of art and culture and occupied a unique, influential, and respected place in the social landscape of the city that echoes across its many monuments.