Defamation Case against Alia Bhatt, Sanjay Leela Bhansali by Gangubai Kathiwadi's son

Ace director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Gangubai Kathiawadi teaser, starring Alia Bhatt, had already been released and is getting great reviews from many. But, it looks like the film has landed in legal trouble since then. Babuji Rawji Shah, who claims to be Gangubai Kathiawadi’s adopted son, had filed a lawsuit seeking a permanent sanction restraining order against Gangubai Kathiawadi makers and Mafia Queens of Mumbai author Hussain Zaidi, as it is defamatory, tarnishes her reputation and violates his right to privacy and self-respect. However, it was dismissed by the Bombay Civil Court.

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, actor Alia Bhatt and writer-journalist Hussain Zaidi have been summoned by the court of an additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Mumbai, on May 21, 2021, in association with a criminal defamation case filed by Shah, one of the four children adopted by Gangubai Kathiawadi.

The upcoming biographical crime drama film, Gangubai Kathiawadi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and co-produced with Jayantilal Gada, is based on Hussain Zaidi’s book, in which Alia is starring role of a brothel owner and a matriarch in Gangubai Kathiawadi and therefore the defamatory suit is filed against the filmmaker, the actress and Zaidi. The film portrays the transformation of a young girl into a bold and fearless don who reigned supreme in the streets of Kamathipura.

Earlier this month, Bhansali, who had tested COVID-19 positive, has now tested negative and will get back on set soon to resume shooting the remaining parts of the film in Mumbai. Initially, the film was scheduled to be released in September 2020 however it could not happen because of the unexpected circumstance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film is now scheduled to release on July 30, in theatres.