Why Alia Bhatt Has Been Summoned By Mumbai Court In Gangubai Kathiawadi Defamation Case

Alia Bhatt summoned: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming biographical crime drama Gangubai Kathiawadi continues to be in legal trouble as Mumbai's Mazgaon Court has issued summons to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Alia Bhatt.

The film's writer has also been summoned in connection to a defamation case filed by Gangubai’s adopted son Babuji Rawji Shah.

As per reports, Bhatt and Bhansali will have to appear before the Mumbai court on May 21. 74-year-old Shah has filed a case against Bhansali, Bhatt, writer Hussain Zaidi, and reporter Jane Borges who did the original research for the book.

According to the latest reports, an additional chief metropolitan magistrate court in Mumbai has summoned Bhatt and Bhansali as the suit claims that the portrayal of Gangubai in the film is "defamatory" and it will reflect his family in the wrong manner which is factually incorrect. In his plea, Shah, one of the four children adopted by Gangubai Kathiawadi, has stated that film "tarnishes her image".

Mumbai's Mazgaon Court has summoned film Gangubai Kathiawadi's director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, actor Alia Bhatt & writer of the film on May 21, on plea of Babu Rawji Shah who claims to be the adopted son of Gangubai Kathiawadi&has stated in his plea that film tarnishes her image

— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2021

Previously, it was Baburao Shah, who had filed a petition in a Mumbai civil court, seeking a restraining order against the film and its trailers, but it was rejected.

The Alia Bhatt-starrer is set for a theatrical release on July 30. The film has been creating a massive buzz since the teaser was out last month. The film is based on one of the chapters of S Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia Queens of Mumbai.