Movie Review: Gangubai Kathiawadi Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi is a powerful saga and is embellished with terrific moments and a career best performance by Alia Bhatt. At the box office, it has bright chances to score with the multiplex and female audiences.

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI is inspired from the chapter ‘The Matriarch Of Kamathipura’ in S Hussain Zaidi’s book, ‘Mafia Queens Of Mumbai’. The story is interesting and raises some important issues. Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Utkarshini Vashishtha's screenplay is entertaining and dramatic. Several films in the past have touched upon the lives of sex workers. But the writers ensure one doesn’t get a déjà vu of these movies. The character of Gangubai is very well fleshed out and the same goes for other supporting characters. Prakash Kapadia and Utkarshini Vashishtha's dialogues are powerful and one of the best in recent times. In several scenes, it’s the hard-hitting one liners that enhance the impact.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's direction is first-rate. He ensures the viewers get zapped into the world of Gangubai and Kamathipura. He has given some accomplished films in the past and hence, one doesn’t expect an ordinary product from him. In this regard, he doesn’t disappoint. He has helmed the story beautifully and sensitively and has also added the grandeur the way only he could have achieved. Gangubai’s pain comes out very well and everyone can empathize with her. At the same time, for most parts, the film is not disturbing and is quite mainstream in its treatment. However, the romantic portion between Gangubai and Afsaan (Shantanu Maheshwari) could have been shorter as this is when the film gets a bit slow. The second half is engaging but for the single-screen audience, it doesn’t offer mass entertainment. Moreover, Gangubai is called ‘Mafia Queen’ a couple of times but she isn’t depicted as a mafia in any way.

GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI’s beginning portions are a bit dark and disturbing. The film gets better once Ganga turns into Gangu. The entire track of Shaukat Abbas Khan and Razia Bai are highly engrossing. All scenes of Rahim Lala give a lot of weightage to the narrative. The romantic track, though a bit weak, has some cute moments. Post-interval, the film drops at places but picks up in the Azad Maidan speech scene and in the last 15 minutes.

Alia Bhatt delivers arguably the best performance of her career. Many had reservations that age-wise, she is not correct for the part. However, <strong>Gangubai</strong> is shown to be quite young and hence, Alia fits the bill perfectly. And she gets into the skin of her character like never before. Ajay Devgn has a 10-minute appearance and he’s phenomenal. His casting is also spot-on. Seema Pahwa is memorable. Vijay Raaz is too good in a small role. Shantanu Maheshwari is adorable and will be loved. Varun Kapoor is decent. Jim Sarbh (Journalist Amin Faizi) is excellent. Indira Tiwari (Kamli), last seen in SERIOUS MEN [2020] is a surprise of the film. Rahul Vohra (Prime Minister) is decent. The actors playing Madhu (the girl rescued by Gangubai), Shaukat Abbas Khan, Birju, the dentist, etc. are fine. <strong>Huma Qureshi</strong> is good in the <em>'Shikayat' </em>song.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's music is a big letdown. He is known for soulful and hit songs but not a single song of GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI registers. <em>'Dholida'</em> is okay just due to the picturization. The same goes for <em>'Meri Jaan'</em> and <em>'Jab Saiyaan'. 'Shikayat'</em> and <em>'Jhume Re Gori'</em> are forgettable. Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara's background score is much better.

Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography is topnotch and the Kamathipura set visuals are captured beautifully. Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray's production design is pleasing to the eyes and yet very realistic. Sheetal Iqbal Sharma's costumes are appealing, especially the white costumes worn by Alia. Sham Kaushal's action is fine. VFX is great. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's editing could have been better at a few places.

On the whole, GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI is a powerful saga and is embellished with terrific moments and a career best performance by Alia Bhatt. At the box office, it has bright chances to score with the multiplex and female audiences.

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