In an interview with Mid-Day, when Richa was asked about the Pakisani actors calling 'Heeramandi' an attempt at appropriation, she came in defense of the show and said that she doesn't see it as appropriation. She added, ''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.”

Richa also spoke about her character. She said that Lajjo is a ''human reflection of this world’s pain, of people’s loneliness''. She is someone who 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,'' added the 'Gangs of Wasseypur' actor.

'Heeramandi' has also been criticised by a section of Pakistani viewers. They felt that the show is a misrepresentation of the historical inaccuracies, places, costumes, etc.