Alia Bhatt to star in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, out Sept 2020

Actor Alia Bhatt has been roped in as the lead of director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next film, titled Gangubai Kathiawadi. The film is scheduled to release in September 2020.

Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh broke the news on Twitter on Wednesday. “Sanjay Leela Bhansali announces his new film #GangubaiKathiawadi... Stars Alia Bhatt in title role... Also, release date finalized: 11 Sept 2020... Bhansali Productions collaborates with Jayantilal Gada’s PEN India Ltd for this film,” he wrote in his tweet.

As per a book written by journalist S Hussain Zaidi, titled Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Gangubai Kathewali was the matriarch of Kamathipura in Mumbai. She was a young woman pushed into prostitution but turns into one of its biggest supporters. She makes money off the trade but carries a soft spot for young women forced into it.

Alia and Bhansali were supposed to work together with Salman Khan on Inshallah. However, the film was shelved last month following creative differences between the director and Salman.

At an awards night in September, Alia said she would work with Bhansali soon. “I was very excited to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Salman as well, I believe sometimes certain things happen which are not in your control. They say if you want to make God laugh, tell them your plans. Plans never really go ‘as per plan’ but I can give it to you in writing that I am going to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali very soon,” she said.

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After Salman quit Bhansali’s film, there was a buzz that Salman’s other upcoming biggie, Kick 2 would make it to the theatres for Eid 2020. However, that film’s director Sajid Nadiadwala soon came out to declare that his film would not be ready by then.

Gangubai Kathiawadi will be Bhansali’s next film after Padmaavat with Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor. It released in January 2018 amid a huge controversy and set multiple records at the box office. It is still Deepika and Ranveer and Shahid’s biggest hit ever.

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