When it was announced that Alia Bhatt was joining forces with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Inshaallah with Salman Khan, I was excited at the prospect of getting to see the actress immersing herself into the grandeur and vision of SLB. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but the filmmaker gave her something better. Maybe one of her biggest and most poignant roles till date with Gangubai Kathiawadi, and with an important film like this, it deserves to have a launch also as big.
The film, featuring Alia and Ajay Devgn, has been selected to be screened at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival in February and will have its world premiere there. It has been chosen to be screened as part of Berlinale Special, a segment of the film festival which is dedicated to showcase exemplary cinema. This year’s selections are films that have been shot during the pandemic.
Check out the teaser of Gangubai Kathiawadi here:
What makes Gangubai Kathiawadi all the more special is that it comes when SLB completes his 25 years in Hindi cinema, with it marking his 10th film.
The filmmaker says:
“The story of Gangubai Kathiawadi has been very close to my heart and me and my team have given it all to make this dream possible. We take pride and honour in showcasing our film at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival.”
Producer Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios is also proud of this feat that the film has achieved and share in the excitement of the filmmaker.
He says:
“I believe in Mr Bhansali and his craft. It gives me great joy that our film will be presented at the Berlin International Film Festival and I am proud to associate with Mr Bhansali. Alia has given a great performance and I am thankful to Ajay Devgn too for being a part of this project. It’s a story that will engage and appeal to global audiences.”
Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian of Berlin International Film Festival adds:
“We are happy to premiere GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI and continue the tradition of the Berlin Film Festival being a special setting for Indian movies. This time with a film that joins the usual craft in shaping camera movement and the choreography of bodies with a subject that is socially relevant, not only in India. From the very beginning we were taken by the story of Gangubai, an exceptional woman dragged into exceptional circumstances.”
Gangubai Kathiawadi is a biographical crime drama about a young girl from Kathiawad named Ganga, who becomes a madame in the red light area of Kamathipura named Gangubai and marks her own territory in no time. It is loosely based on a true story, on the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai by S Hussain Zaidi. It is slated to release theatrically on 18th February, 2022. Going by the talent and prowess that Alia has shown over the years and the spellbinding teaser of the film released earlier this year, I am sure that this is just going to establish Alia as a force to be reckoned with in the Hindi film industry and I can’t wait for the actress to shine as Gangubai.