Gangubai Kathiawadi, the much-awaited pan-India project directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is set to hit the screens on February 25th. The film is an adaptation from one of the chapters of Hussain Zaidi’s popular book Mafia Queens of Mumbai.
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Gangubai Kathiwadi Real Story:
The famous Mafia Queen Gangubai Kathiwadi was born in a renowned family of Kathiawad Gujarat. Her real name was Ganga Harjivandas. From a very young age, she dreamed of becoming a Bollywood actor and wanted to come to Mumbai to follow her dreams.
Gangubai Kathiwadi Marriage
It is said that Ganga and Ramnik Lal got married after they left their home and started to live in Mumbai. But later Ramnik deceived her and sold to a brothel for Rs. 500. This betrayal destroyed Ganga but her new life as Gangubai started. She became a prostitute and started living in the red-light area of Mumbai.
Gangubai Kathiwadi Relation with Karim Lala
As per the chapter of Gangubai written in Hussain Zaidi’s book on ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai’, Gangubai was one of the prominent names of the biggest red light area of Mumbai called ‘Kamathipura’. Many underworld mafia people were her customers.
Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiwadi Biopic Film
Unfurling the hard and struggling life of Gangubai and her work towards the betterment of the Kamathipura, Sanjay Leela Bhansali production will soon release the film ‘Gangubai Kathiwadi’. Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt will play the role of Gangubai and the movie will hit the cinema floors on 25 Feb 2022.
Gangubai Kathiyawadi Star Cast
- Alia Bhatt
- Ajay Devgn
- Vijay Raaz
Release date of Gangubai Kathiyawadi
Gangubai Kathiyawadi will hit the cinema floors on 25 Feb 2022.
Starring star heroine Alia Bhatt in the titular role, the film’s trailer was unveiled a few days back and had been receiving tremendous response from the moviegoers.
Veteran Bollywood Analyst cum Business Transformation Expert Hirav Shah says, “Gangubai Kathiawadi has been surrounded by innumerable controversies like many Sanjay Leela Bhansali films in the past. The controversy surrounding his last film Padmaavat also created wonders for the film, and the film was a huge hit.”
Hirav Shah states that the latest controversy is that the family of Gangubai Kathiawadi has filed a defamation suit against Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Hussain Zaidi on whose book the film is based, and Alia Bhatt, among other people associated with the film.
While speaking about the case on behalf of the family, advocate Narendra Dubey said she was a social worker and a political influencer. Her kids don’t want her to be portrayed as a prostitute in a film.
“Nobody wants their mother to be portrayed as a prostitute. Even the son of a prostitute won’t want that. It is just for the sake of money; it assassinates a person’s character.
It is not a matter of mother and son; it is a matter of respect and dignity for every woman. No woman would want to be portrayed in such a nude and obscene manner. Even if we believe what Hussain Zaidi wrote in his book, he said Gangubai never wanted to become a prostitute. Would that woman then want to be portrayed as a prostitute?“
Controversies of Gangubai Kathiyawadi
Kangana Ranaut, Alia Bhatt and Gangubai Kathiyawadi
- Kangana Ranaut has also jumped into the bandwagon and slams the film and its casting on social media. Her latest Instagram post reads, “This Friday 200 crore will be burnt to ashes at the box office… for a Papa (Movie Mafia Daddy) ki pari (who likes to keep a British Passport) because Papa wants to prove that romcom bimbo can act… biggest drawback of the film is wrong casting… Yeh nahi sudhrenge, no wonder screens are going to South and Hollywood films…Bollywood is destined to doom jab tab movie mafia has power.“
- Another controversy around the film gaining heat is that actor Vijay Raaz’s character has been showcased as transgender in the promotional video. Though the versatile actor just amazed the audience with his outstanding performance in the promo, some netizens have apprehensions about a man playing the transgender role.
“Casting a cisman as a Trans woman and also brazenly making a racist joke, few Hindi filmmakers will never care about the mess they create, but they’ll continue hurting communities of the country.
- ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ is a big shame!” opinionated a film freak. Yet another comment reads, “Yes, Vijay Raaz nailed #GangubaiKathiawadi trailer. But, it’s sad that Bhansali didn’t cast a trans woman for this role. The film industry should stop casting cis actors as trans characters!!!! Will Bollywood ever learn?“
In one of his recent interviews, Abhishek argued, “We went through many avenues, and there was a thought about casting a trans person, but you know I find everyone is so fascinated just by actors. Why is it that an actor legitimizes everything? Why can’t a trans person write the film? Why can’t a trans person direct the film? First of all, this fascination is incorrect.
Films are not made by actors; filmmakers and writers make them. Eventually, there is a representation by an individual actor, but I try to see above this because there is a story to be told. You have to reach out to people at large by taking the story to them, and I thought this is the best way to take this story there. When you talk to someone, you have to talk to them in their language.” In the recent outing,
Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui of Abhishek Kapoor, heroine Vaani Kapoor played the role of trans women, and even the same question was asked by the media to Vaani and Abhishek during the film promotions.
Earlier, even Sharad Kelkar was targetted for playing a transgender lady role in Akshay Kumar’s Laxmii. Regarding the fresh controversy on Gangubhai Kathiawadi, will the film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali or the producer Jayantilal Gada respond to it? It remains to be seen.
Gangubhai Kathiawadi had a huge world premiere at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival.
Hirav Shah predicts, “All these controversies are only going to help create more hype around the film and will ensure the film will get a thunderous opening at the box office. Alia Bhatt’s performance will win her many accolades and awards. The film will do well worldwide, and Bhansali will laugh all the way to the bank.“
