Bombay HC Rejects Pleas Against 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', Says Film Will Release On Feb 25 Without Hindrance

The Sanjay Bhansali-directed film, based on a chapter from writer S Hussain Zaidi's book ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai’, stars Alia Bhatt as Gangubai

Bombay HC Rejects Pleas Against 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', Says Film Will Release On Feb 25 Without Hindrance (File Image)

New Delhi: Dismissing the three petitions filed against use of certain words in Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday said that the film will release on February 25 without any hindrance.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik was hearing two public interest litigations (PILs) filed by Mumbai MLA Amin Patel and Hiten Mehta, and another plea by Shraddha Surve, a resident of Kamathipura area in south Mumbai.

Surve, in her plea, had objected to the use of the name Kamathipura, claiming it misrepresents the area. Her advocate Yogesh Naidu said the name Kamathipura, where a number of brothels operated in the past, should be replaced.

Patel, in his petition, sought the words 'Kamathipura' and 'Kathiawadi' to be deleted from the movie. His advocate Dhruti Kapadia argued that the use of these words in the film were hurting the sentiments of people.

"Kathiawadi is a community of persons belonging to Gujarat's Saurashtra. The use of their community's name is defaming and hurting their sentiments,” news agency PTI quoted Kapadia as saying.

Mehta, in his petition, sought the word ‘China’, used in a scene in the movie, to be delated or replaced. His advocate Ashok Sarogi said that the scene shows a dentist from the North East conducting some procedure on Bhatt's character.

Senior counsel Ravi Kadam, arguing on behalf of the film's co-producer and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, told the high court that all the three petitions are misplaced and misconceived and that there is no intention to defame anyone.

Kadam further said that there is a disclaimer in the movie stating that the makers do not intend to hurt the sentiments of any person or community and that the disclaimer would be shown for 10 seconds.

The Sanjay Bhansali-directed film, based on a chapter from writer S Hussain Zaidi's book ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai’, stars Alia Bhatt as Gangubai, one of the most powerful, loved and respected madams from Kamathipura during the 1960s.