Actress Alia Bhatt will next been noticed in Gangubai Kathiawadi, in which she will play the titular part. Gangubai Kathiawadi is based on the life of Gangubai Kathewali, a brothel owner in Mumbai’s Kamathipura location. The teaser for the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film dropped on Wednesday and provides viewers a glimpse into the life of the effective lady that Alia Bhatt is all set to portray onscreen. A controversial but formidable figure in the 1960s, Gangubai’s story was documented by author and journalist Hussain Zaidi in his book Mafia Queens Of Mumbai.
In his book, Mr Zaidi describes Gangubai as a modest lady – just 5-feet-tall – who commanded substantial respect in Kamathipura.
Gangubai was born Ganga Harjeevandas in the village of Kathiawad in Gujarat, sometime in the 1940s. When she young, Ganga ran away from her residence immediately after secretly marrying her father’s accountant, Ramnik Laal. The two arrived in Mumbai, exactly where Ramnik tricked her and sold her into prostitution for Rs 500.
According to specifics offered in Mafia Queens Of Mumbai, Ganga gave up her original name and became Gangu at this point.
After a rough starting, Gangubai rose via the ranks, helped by her connections with the Mumbai underworld. Gangubai was identified to be below the protection of Karim Lala – who is today infamous as one of the 3 mafia dons of Mumbai. It is stated that she even tied a rakhi on Karim Lala’s wrist immediately after he promised to shield her from one of his goons who had raped Gangubai twice.
Gangubai began as a sex worker in Kamathipura and went on to personal and handle various brothels in the location. She took on the surname of “Kathewali” when she won the nearby ‘gharwali’ elections to come to be a brothel madam at a young age. These elections are held to decide ranks amongst the sex workers of Kamathipura.
In his book, Mr Zaidi notes that Gangubai was renowned for never ever pushing a lady into the sex trade against her will. Instead, she was identified as “the only brothel madam who did not give priority to business and money but to women.”
“Strength. Power. Fear,” is how Sanjay Leela Bhansali had described Alia Bhatt’s character.
Gangubai Kathiawadi will release on July 30.