Gangubai Kathiawadi - A true crime drama
Even when Sanjay Leela Bhansali succumbs to his life-long inclination to pat, primp, and pretty up the grubbiest surroundings in his flicks, Alia Bhatt's screen presence and performance carry Gangubai Kathiawadi.
The film is based on Gangubai's life as chronicled in journalist S. Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, co-written with Jane Borges. This woman's overt feminism is what distinguishes Gangubai Kathiawadi from the rest of the writer-career, director's as well as the myriad stories of courtesans, madams, and pimps recounted by Hindi cinema since its birth.
Ganga arrived in Bombay with her partner with the goal of becoming a heroine in Hindi cinema. But fate had other plans for Ganga, and she was sold to a Kamathipura brothel. Ganga was initially hesitant, but she ultimately accepted the reality that this was her only option. The growth of Gangu to Gangubai is shown in Gangubai Kathiawadi. Her battles inside Kamathirpura, as well as her fight for Kamathipura's other women, are depicted here.
Gangubai's fun nature shines through in her friendship with the wonderfully acted local tailor, Shantanu Maheshwari, and in their delightful way of communication. Even when Bhansali succumbs to his life-long impulse to pat, primp, and pretty up the grubbiest surroundings in his films, Alia Bhatt's dazzling presence and performance in the title role hold up the story.
In Kamathipura, Vijay Raaz, who plays Raziabai, a transgender woman, is viewed more as a dazzling image than a person. There has been enough public discussion on the politics of casting cis males as trans characters in India in recent years for it to have reached Bhansali's ears.
This is a lot of information to take in. Gangu is forced to become a prostitute by a guy she loves. However, after a year in her new existence, she realizes she is powerful. Gangu is captivating, an all-too-rare female antihero, with a Bidi cigarette dangling from her mouth, a bottle of sugarcane alcohol, and a cold, assessing stare that turns adult men into snivelling boys.
It's encouraging to see Bhansali treat Bhatt the way commercial Indian film generally treats male actors in men-centric extravaganzas: with a spectacular entrance and camerawork that gives her a larger-than-life air.
Let me reiterate that Alia is the backbone of this film, and this is the finest character she has ever played. You can also notice her hard effort. But we didn't see Gangubai Khatiawadi; instead, we saw a hardworking performer. To be honest, we cannot criticize her acting ability, but she appears more like a doll who has been made up and shown there. Except for alia, the background actors in the film resemble Kamathipura residents.
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यहां तक कि जब संजय लीला भंसाली अपने जीवन भर के झुकाव, थपथपाने, और अपनी फिल्मों में सबसे गंभीर परिवेश को अपनाने के लिए झुकते हैं, तब भी आलिया भट्ट की स्क्रीन उपस्थिति और प्रदर्शन गंगूबाई काठियावाड़ी ले जाते हैं। यह फिल्म गंगूबाई के जीवन पर आधारित है जैसा कि पत्रकार एस हुसैन जैदी की पुस्तक माफिया क्वींस ऑफ मुंबई में वर्णित है, जो जेन बोर्गेस के साथ सह-लिखित है। इस महिला का खुला नारीवाद ही है जो गंगूबाई काठियावाड़ी को बाकी लेखक-करियर, निर्देशक के साथ-साथ हिंदी सिनेमा द्वारा अपने जन्म के बाद से वर्णित वेश्याओं, महोदयाओं और दलालों की असंख्य कहानियों से अलग करता है।
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