A scenario of women enticingly waiting at the entrance of a kotha (brothel) amid the busy bylanes of southern Mumbai’s famed red-light district Kamathipura is realistic, tragic, and emotional. ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is built entirely against this grim background of Mumbai and portrays the narrative of numerous young ladies who have been sold off to prostitution for a few hundred merely thru the eyes of its lead Gangubai (Alia Bhatt).
It’s somewhere in the mid-1950s or 1960s when a sparkly and innocent Ganga is persuaded to flee by her own boyfriend Ramnik (Varun Kapoor) with the pledge that he will clear the way for her to make it as a film heroine. What happens is that Ganga (who later renames her Gangu and then Gangubai) becomes the star of Kamathipura instead. Kamathipura becomes her home throughout time, the prostitution girls her people, and all of Kamathipura her realm. Her quest, however, is filled with obstacles, enemies, and a social stigma which pulls out the warrior in her.
The movie’s charm resides in how it depicts Gangu’s personality evolving through several periods of her life. The plot takes time to develop, even slowing down a few times, but not without creating an impression with some furious conversation and dramatic scenes.
It’s an Alia Bhatt presentation from start to finish, as she plays the boss lady in a society full of prostitution and greedy guys. It may take some time to get used to the concept of Alia performing this role, and Alia, too, takes her time. She delivers the emotionally charged exchanges with remarkable boldness, daring, and a fighting spirit. The aesthetic look of Alia’s character, constantly dressed in gorgeous whites, stays unmistakable and unusual throughout all of this, even as the plot progresses.
Even in his short appearance as Rahim Lala, Ajay Devgn makes an impression. The remainder of the supporting characters, including Seema Pahwa, Vijay Raaz, and Jim Sarbh, try their level best but wouldn’t have much of a chance to impress. Shantanu Maheshwari, who plays Gangu’s romantic lead, gives a strong work, and the heartbreaking scenes between Gangu and him are one of the movie’s highlights.
Bhansali’s storyline is structured similarly to a novel, with each obstacle and series moving as an episode. However there is a lot stuffed into the film — such as Gangu becoming an advocate for females in Kamathipura, her interaction with the area’s underworld, and her political ambitions – we are left wondering exactly more about the remainder of her life and how everything played out. Although there are some wonderfully created, tragic scenes in Bhansali’s distinctive style — with a mixture of elegance and flare – the plot does not go deeply in with any single part of Gangu’s existence.
If you want a true glimpse inside Gangubai’s life, popularly known as Mumbai’s Mafia Queen, you’ll be left wanting more. Even with everything jammed into this narrative, there are still enough scenes to lure you into this universe in which the nighttime appears forever and the lights never go out.
IMDb Rating: 5.3/10
