Actor Alia Bhatt, Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, writers S Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges and the producers of the upcoming movie Gangubai Kathiawadi have been told to present before the court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Maharashtra’s capital. The summoning pertains to a criminal defamation case filed against them all by the alleged adopted child of the protagonist Gangubai.
The movie is based on Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges’s book, The Mafia Queens of Mumbai that also contains one story on the life of Gangubai, played by Alia Bhatt in the film.
Gangubai had adopted 4 children and Babuji Shah claims he is one among them. He alleged that one of the chapters of the book that has his mother’s story is defamatory and degrades her reputation and also violates her privacy and self-respect.
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The court responded to the petition saying, “Even if it is considered that, she was a prostitute, that does not mean that anybody has permission or write to show or mention her as a prostitute in public.”
It added that Shah was approached to get his consent neither before the novel got published nor prior to the promo release.
The court’s order said, “The novel was already published, however, the complainant has claimed that he had no knowledge of the book and came into light only on the social media, news and transmission of the promo of the upcoming film. In the novel as well as the promo they have not only used the name of his mother but also used her surname along with the residential area i.e. Kamathipura, where his deceased mother was identified and had a reputation in the society, before her death.”
Shah alleged that his family was listening to teases and names from the neighbourhood after the promo got released. He said he did not know the existence of the book and e=only came to know about it after he watched the promo of the film.
The court finally observed that “all accused have acted in common intention to portrayed the image of Gangubai Kathiawadi which has affected the reputation of deceased Gangubai in the area where she is living. Now its effect are seen on the family of complainant.”
According to a report by India Today, the people named in the complaint have to summon on May 21st in the Mumbai court.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is fit to start shooting for the remaining bits of Gangubai Kathiawadi as he has recovered from covid-19 after catching the virus earlier in March. The movie is slated to release on July 30th in cinema theatres.
