Movie Review: Gangubai Kathiawadi

Rating: 4 of 5

Star Cast: Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Vijay Raaz, Seema Pahwa

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s delicate emotions, Alia Bhatt’s immaculate acting, and everything between them. Based on Hussain S Zaidi’s novel Mafia Queens Of Mumbai, the film follows the life of the then President Of Kamathipura, Gangubai Kathiawadi, the movie is about her journey from the time she was forced into prostitution till the day she gave thousands of ladies in her business the gest and right to live life unapologetically and not be ashamed of who they are.

The beauty lies in the moments, the hearts ache by the words, and the time passes only on his command. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a filmmaker who makes movies for himself more than others. His eyes look for grandeur and aesthetics in everything and every time his leading lady flips her hair, you see it. Gangubai Kathiawadi is about a woman who is forced into the darkest of the businesses but she rises like a phoenix wearing the purest of the colours (White).

The maverick filmmaker who made the last three magnum opuses on a grander scale, brings back the opulence after 4 long years but in a more contemporary zone. Here is a Bhansali who isn’t using a themed font in the credit rolls, or multiple songs to his rescue by making it a narrative from one song to another. He is telling a story by making his leading lady lift a whole lot of weight with a lot of trust on her.

Alia Bhatt is surely taking home many awards. Simply her career-best performance, she blows life into a historical character like she was born to play it and be a Sanjay Leela Bhansali heroine. She is a firebrand in scenes where she is supposed to break free, but observe her in the silences. In a song sequence, when her lover tries to get physical, she stops him and rather tells him to caress her. Men have always used her physically, but none gave her affection, care, and intimacy, which she craves the most, uff! She uses her physically, dialect and even transforms her aura to become the Madam Of The Brothel. She proved every single naysayer wrong.

Until her next best, I want to remember Alia dressed in a white and red saree, with open curls as she walks through a pool of people looking at her with wide smiles and affection in their eyes. She pulls Jim Sarbh to her and kisses his forehead, she looks at her lover and joins her ‘altha’ clad hands. She sits down and looks at the camera with a reignited hope. Reminded me of Shabana Azmi from Godmother. It is about a woman who is fighting for her right to exist and rule her world. When society doesn’t give it cordially, she knows the trick to make them do it.

Vijay Raaz in his brief role is the second best actor to grace Gangubai Kathiawadi. He plays a eunuch without falling in the trap of stereotyping. He doesn’t overdo the effeminacy like we are used to seeing in the films. He lifts the screenplay with his performance and when he face-offs with Alia, it’s a treat to watch.

Ajay Devgn plays Karim Lala with his gangster attitude. It comes naturally to him and helps the film to have a dramatic character. Seema Pahwa deserves this role and many others like this one. She isn’t just made for comedy and she proves that to the entire industry. Jim Sarbh is adorable and perfect in his cameo this time.