Alia Bhatt, Sanjay Leela Bhansali Get Interim Relief In Gangubai Kathiawadi Case

The Bombay High Court gave interim relief to the director of Gangubai Kathiawadi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and lead actor Actor in the defamation suit filed against them.

The High Court in its order of earlier this week, scheduled the next hearing for September 7. After a man named Babuji Shah filed a complaint against Alia Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the metropolitan magistrate issued summons against the two. Shah claims to be Gangubai Kathiawadi's son.

Case Against Alia Bhatt And Sanjay Leela Bhansali:

The film based on Gangubai Kathiawadi directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali has Bhatt in the lead role. The real-life inspiration for the film was one of the most respected madams of yesteryear's Kamathipura red light area in Mumbai.

As the film is reported to be based on a novel titled The Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Shah claimed that some portions of the book had defamatory content. He alleged that the novel tarnished Kathiawadi's reputation and violated her privacy.

The legal representative of Alia Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali claimed argued in court that the duo was not aware of the Shah's existence.

Justice Revati Mohite Dere issued a notice to Shah and scheduled a hearing of Bhansali and Bhatt's plea for September 7.

Shah had also moved to the high court seeking a stay on the release of the film. A high court bench denied his plea. He also asked the court to restrict the writers and publishers of the said novel from giving third party rights or writing any other story on Gangubai Kathiawadi's life.

While rejecting the plea, Justice Nitin Sambre said on July 30 that any content of defamatory nature dies with a person's death.

The judge said, "It is for the appellant (Shah) to demonstrate that he is the adoptive son of deceased Gangubai Kathiawadi, which he has prima facie failed to do.”

The film Gangubai Kathiawadi was supposed to release in September last year but was delayed due to the pandemic. The film's shooting was able to get wrapped in early 2021

Justice Sambre said.The movie was earlier scheduled to release in September 2020, but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, the makers had announced that the film will release in cinema halls in 2021.