Mumbai: Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has been summoned by the Sewri Additional Chief Metropolitan Court for their upcoming biopic ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’. The crime biopic is loosely based on the book ‘Mafia Queens Of Mumbai’, written by S. Hussain Zaidi. The director of the film Sanjay Leela Bhansali, lead actress Alia Bhatt and two other writers have been summoned to appear before the court on May 21.
A person named Babubraoji Shah, who claims to be the adopted son of Gangubai, says that both the film and the book on which the movie is based portrays a negative image of his mother and that is why he has opposed people associated with the film. The adopted son of Gangubai has also filed a defamation suit and a petition which has demanded a ban on the book.
When ABP News contacted petitioner Baburaoji Shah's lawyer Narendra Dubey for more information on this issue, he said, “In ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, Gangubai has been portrayed as a prostitute and Mumbai’s mafia queen. She has also been associated with the underworld dons like Karim Lala, Haji Mastan and others in this film. The way Gangubai has been portrayed in the film is completely wrong. Gangubai was a social worker and worked for the upliftment of the people. This is the reason why we had to knock the doors of the court on behalf of Gangubai's adopted son Baburaoji Shah and we have filed a defamation suit against the makers and others associated with it.”
The lawyer further added, “Following this petition related to defamation, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Alia Bhatt, who plays Gangubai in the film, and both the writers of the film have been issued summons to appear in court on May 21. We want a complete ban on the release of this film which features a negative image of Gangubai.”
Advocate Narendra Dubey also informed ABP News that after filing a defamation suit, a petition to stop the film will also be filed in the Mumbai High Court next week.
Despite being contacted by ABP News, there has been no response from the film's producer and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali so far on this whole issue.
Stay tuned for more updates.