Sanjay Leela Bhansali Film, Alia Bhatt as Gangubai Kathiawadi
There is a scene in the trailer of Gangubai Kathiawadi where the character of Alia Bhatt is seen giving a powerful ‘speech’ for an enormous gathering. She argues that sex work should be treated with the same respect as any other profession, and that children of sex workers should have the same right to education. In the movie, it is the pre-climax scene that tells a lot about the movie. It shows what this greater than life woman wants more than anything.
Based on chapters from Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi creates a world of his own that is lazy, violent, reckless, yet full of emotion. Bhansali shows off the tracks of Kamathipura, one of Mumbai’s oldest red light districts, and makes sure he catches them in the most extraordinary ways. Young girls, who come here reluctantly, decorate the streets, accepting their fate somewhere to go.
Where these girls prepare themselves on the day of work – applying lipstick, applying loose powder on their faces – to pose as live mannequins at the entrance of a brothel that invites customers, it costs a lot of pain. “The customer should not have lit your face,” says the smiling and mouth-watering Sheela Bai, played by Seema Pahwa.
In another scene, where a customer knocks on the door of a brothel for Gangu at 4 o’clock, Sheela Bai runs through dark and dirty doom to wake Gangu up with girls sleeping on the floor or small beds share, Wakes up Gangu saying: “ISS dhande mein time nahi hota” – the misery of the sex workers and the horrific conditions in which they live.
From these moments, you know that Bhansali is trying to celebrate not only the glory of Gangu, but also that gloomy past. She, and many other girls, have been through. Many times you feel that Kamathipura portrayed in the film is a bit exaggerated, but you ignore them for Bhansali, who immediately absorbs you into his world.
The film is clearly tuned into two stories. Where the first half tells the story of Gangubai, the daughter of a lawyer, Ganga, who was forced into prostitution and how she becomes Gangu with her wounds and scars, the second half tells her a ‘gharwali’ ( the head of brothel). Madam. and eventually struggled to become the president of Kamathipura.
The whole flashback sequence of Gangaa’s story was sad but horrible. Every frame here speaks to you as an attempt to say what we may not want to admit. The first half has many quiet moments and is for me the most poetic display of emotion, empathy, pain and power. There are moments in movies that are completely different and strike the right chord. A scene where some of the girls try to write a letter to their families, all throwing out one sentence, and thinking that they live together every day. This is very heartbreaking.
Alia Bhatt, who showed her acting in the Highway and her second film, has delivered a stellar performance as Gangubai. Yes, she sometimes seems too young for the role, but the strong voice, the way she walks, the confidence she radiates from her smile, the pain she sees in her eyes — Aaliyah is enough. Impressive shows. Her almost perfect accent, speech, expressions and how she expresses anger, rage, joy and helplessness leave you in honor of her presence on screen. I only wish there was a little effort on Bhansali’s part to make Gangubai a goddess-like figure or Robinhood, which happens in most places.
Ajay Devgn in a cameo as Rahim Lala, who turns out to be the messiah for Gangu and packs a punch in some of the scenes he appears on screen. Shantanu Maheshwari brings a childlike flair to his character Afsaan with his brief romance with Gangu. Reuniting with Bhansali to Padmaavat, actor Jim Sarbh has done a fine job as a journalist, serving in a way as a catalyst in knowing Gangu about his strengths and what he is capable of. According to what is depicted in the film, it was he who facilitated Gangu’s meeting with then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, for whom she felt deeply.
There’s a small and lovely part of Vijay Raj as Razia Bai and honestly there is nothing more to do than what we saw in the trailer. There’s a very interesting track between Alia’s Gangu and Kamali played by Indira Tiwari, who was brilliant in Serious Men. Their friendship and bonding in a brothel is not an everyday sight.
By tying all these characters together, Bhansali’s film could not be complete without some beautifully choreographed and beautifully crafted musical pieces. Meri Jaan and Jab Saiyan are soft romantic tracks, while Dholida and Jhoome Re Gori let you dance to some folk music.
Gangubai Kathiawadi ends with the transformation of a young woman into a warrior in need. But then the fact is undeniable can such stories exist and deserve it.
Gangubai Kathiawadi
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Seema Pahwa, Vijay Raaz and others
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