Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, starring Alia Bhatt as a mythical matron, is one of the most anticipated films of 2022. The film also stars Ajay Devgn, Vijay Raaz and Seema Pahwa in pivotal roles
Days before its release on February 25, fans have spotted a ‘spoiler’ in the film’s trailers. The song Jab saiyaan introduced Shantanu Maheshwari as Alia’s love interest in a trailer that dropped last week; the romance track was continued in Meri jaan, which dropped on Monday. Immediately, a social media user pointed out a scene from the trailer, which showed Shantanu’s character getting married to someone else, with Alia’s character Gangubai attending the wedding.
Of course, the plot twist has taken fans by surprise. ‘So in this scene, she’s pulling that sassy walk off but inside she’s heartbroken ig,” one wrote; ‘Can’t believe SLB this stupid to leave on trailer dholida song makes more sense now (sic)’, another said.
A Reddit user speculated about the chronology of events in Gangubai Kathiawadi. “Because of this, at first I thought he is that husband but he is not…poor Gangubai. I think she will fall in love with him but then this happens and after that Dholida…?’ one asked. ‘Oh. This is getting complicated’, another comment read.
Gangubai Kathiawadi is based on the life of one of the most influential brothel owners in Mumbai in the 1950s and 60s. It is said that she was trafficked to a brothel in Kamathipura by her husband. She gradually rose through the ranks and became the madame of her own brothel. She is also said to have had good relations with the underworld.
Bhansali has stated that Gangubai’s strength inspired him to make a film on her life. “What I liked about the character was that she was a very bruised, scarred woman, wronged by society and by the people she trusted, but she was a warrior. So she got up and fought for everything that she believed that they rightly deserved, in spite of being in the profession. She said, ‘I’m a sex worker, and you need to respect me for it. You cannot take me for granted for what I’m doing.’ That courage with which she fought… a ferocious warrior that she was, that’s what inspired me to make the film,” he said.
