Gangubai Kathiawadi

About the film

Gangubai Kathiawadi is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language biographical crime drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali and Jayantilal Gada. Based on the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai by S. Hussain Zaidi, it tells the story of Gangubai Kathiawadi, a simple girl from Kathiawad who is forced into prostitution and later rises to become a madam and an influential figure in Bombay's red-light area. The film stars Alia Bhatt in the title role, alongside Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh and Ajay Devgn.

Gangubai Kathiawadi premiered at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival on 16 February 2022, and was released in theatres on 25 February 2022. It received widespread critical acclaim for its themes, direction, production value and Bhatt's performance. The film grossed ₹153.69 crore (US$16 million) at the domestic box office and ₹209.77 crore (US$22 million) globally, emerging as a commercial success. Numerous publications listed Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhatt's performance in the film on various year-end best films and performances lists of 2022.

Plot

In 1944, 16-year-old Ganga Jagjivandas Kathiawadi, born into an affluent family to a Gujarati Hindu barrister in Kathiawad, aspires to become a Hindi cinema actress and runs away from home with her older boyfriend Ramnik who promises her a film career under the tutelage of his aunt Sheela. Ramnik turns out to be a groomer who sells Ganga to Sheela's brothel, where she is forced into prostitution and has her name changed to Gangu. There, Gangu introduces labour rights by advocating for prostitutes to observe days off from work once a week. One night, a sadistic local goon Shaukat violently assaults Gangu, leaving her hospitalised. Hoping for justice, Gangu goes to Shaukat's principled boss, Afghan mafia leader Rahim Lala, who is impressed with her confidence. Declaring her to be his sister, Rahim brutally beats Shaukat when he reappears at the brothel, causing Gangu to earn the adoration of fellow prostitutes. Ten years later, Gangu becomes the brothel's madame after Sheela's death. Henceforth, she is referred to as Gangubai, and goes on to become a powerful figure in Kamathipura, the red-light district of Bombay.

In 1962, 14-year-old Madhu from Ratnagiri District is sold into prostitution at a brothel in Kamathipura. Unable to force her into becoming a sex worker, procurer Rashmibai requests Gangubai to persuade her. Gangubai meets Madhu and shares her story, eventually sending her back. Gangubai decides to stand as a candidate in the presidential elections of Kamathipura against the incumbent, a ruthless hijra named Raziabai, who has won unopposed the last two years. With Rahim's help, Gangubai arranges illegal alcohol sales from her brothel to raise money and improve the living standards of the prostitutes. After Raziabai's failed attempt at arresting Gangubai, she broadcasts free Hindi films in her neighbourhood, attracting Raziabai's supporters. Furthermore, she arranges a marriage between Roshni, the virgin daughter of fellow prostitute Kusum, and Afsaan, a Bihari Muslim tailor with whom she had a brief romance, by paying their dowry and throwing a grand celebration, gaining further support. Gangubai wins the elections and starts advocating for the civil rights of prostitutes. While in office, she gets to call her family for the first time in twelve years and finds out her father has died and her family has not forgiven her for running away.

After a grand Navaratri celebration and a voluntary business refrain, Rahim informs Gangubai that a nearby Catholic girls' school has started a campaign to evict prostitutes from the area over concerns of negative influences while a local builder wants to demolish the brothels to construct skyscrapers on their land. Gangubai protests, stating the prostitutes of Kamathipura will be homeless if evicted, and Rahim intimidates the builder's agent. Gangubai visits the school principal to get the children from her brothel admitted into the school, paying their fees for five years and suggesting the implementation of their right to education as a better way to abolish sex trade than forceful eviction. The girls are enrolled in front of sympathetic newspaper journalist Hamid but are thrown out by the nuns on their first day after she leaves. Hamid decides to publish Gangubai's interview regarding the campaign in his newspaper to support her cause. Meanwhile, her friend Kamli dies after giving birth, and Gangubai takes in her child, Pammi.

Production

The news about an adaptation of one of the chapters of Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai first came out in June 2017 with Priyanka Chopra attached to star as the leading character. The film's earlier title was Heera Mandi. In March 2019, Chopra confirmed that she was working on a project with Bhansali, who also confirmed that he was making Gangubai Kathiawadi with Chopra. However, in September 2019, media reported that Alia Bhatt, who was supposed to do a different film, titled Inshallah, by Bhansali was going to replace Chopra after Inshallah got shelved. Principal photography begun in Film City, Mumbai on 27 December 2019.

The film marks the Hindi cinema debut of television personality Shantanu Maheshwari, who portrays Gangubai's boyfriend Afsaan. and TV actor Varun Kapoor to debut as the grey role of Ramnik Lala.

Key details