‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ is all set to be premiered at the world stage in the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, which is scheduled to be held between 10 February 2022 to 20 February 2022.
The movie looks on the brighter side in Berlin but not in India. As the biographical crime drama is ready to be released on 25 February 2022 across all theatres in the country, the family of Gangubai has resorted to putting a stay on its release.
The film has been served with legal actions, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and adapted from Mafia Queens of Mumbai, which Hussain Zaidi authors, legal notices have been served to both the book’s author the film director.
In addition to this, defamation charges have also been pressed against Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Hussain Zaidi. These legal exertions have also named the actress Alia Bhatt.
Gangubai Kathiawadi Movie Review
Essentially, the story of this picture revolves around Ganga Harjivandas. Ganga was born into a wealthy family. She aspired to become a Bollywood actress someday.
Merely at the vulnerable age of sixteen, she fell in love with her father’s accountant (Ramnik Lal) and eloped with him to Mumbai. However, the prince of her life made her hit rock bottom by selling her off to a brothel located in Kamathipura.
He committed this heinous act at a bare amount of Rs.500. There, Ganga had to join the forces of prostitution strenuously. In the near future, she rose to power in the brothel and became the ‘madame Gangubai Kathiawadi.’
Besides this, she also won the elections in the part where she lived (Kamathipura). Unfortunately, at a certain point, Ganga lands up and gets raped.
Her sworn brother- Don Karim Lala, helps her. He beats up the person responsible. Interestingly, it turns out the man is a part of Karim’s gang.
A keynote takeaway from the life of Gangubai, as portrayed in the story, is that she was an advocate for equal rights for the sex workers so that the latter could also lead a respectful life like any other person in society.
However, this characterization has hurt the sentiments of the family. The latter has received hurtful words regarding such a depiction of Gangubai.
Ganga was an advocate who worked for the rights of the prostitutes. In conversation with Hindustan Times, Advocate Narendra Dubey stated that no one would want their mothers to be shown or portrayed as a prostitute on behalf of Ganga’s adopted children.
Even the children of prostitutes would not prefer such a portrayal. Adding to this, the advocate believes that this situation is not about a mother and their children but the character and dignity of a person.
Moreover, Gangubai was a social worker and received visits from acclaimed faces like Morarji Desai and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The case for a stay on the film was moved in September 2020 when the movie’s first promo was released. The trial court had given the judgment in favor of the family.
However, the High Court demanded evidence of adoption. This case is now pending in the Supreme Court.
Edited By- Subbuthai Padma
Published By- Satheesh Kuamar
