Case filed against Alia Bhatt-starrer ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest project ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ has run into a legal hurdle. The film, which follows the life of the owner of a brothel in Kamathipura by the same name, stars Alia Bhatt in the lead role.

A case for halting of production has been filed against the filmmaker by Gangubai’s son Babuji Rawji Shah. 

Shah has also filed a case against writer Hussain Zaidi, on whose novel ‘The Mafia Queens of Mumbai’ the film is based, and reporter Jane Borges, who researched extensively on the topic.

According to a report by The Print, he has objected to pages 50 to 69 in the book, alleging that section to be ‘defamatory in nature’ and an ‘infringement upon his right to privacy, self-respect and liberty’. He has thus sought a permanent order curtailing printing and circulation of the book, and deletion of those specific chapters.

Narendra Dubey, Babuji’s lawyer, told Print a criminal complaint against the defendants for ‘defamation, indecent representation of women, and circulation of obscene and indecent material’ may also be filed in the coming week.

The case was filed on Sunday at the Bombay Civil Court, with the first hearing held on Tuesday. The defendants have been given time until January 7 to respond.