The Mazgaon magistrate court in Bombay recently issued summons to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actress Alia Bhatt, among others, after a defamation case was filed against them in connection with their under-production film, Gangubai Kathiawadi. Directed by Bhansali, the film has Alia essaying the title role. It is based on the book Mafia Queens Of Mumbai by Husain Zaidi and Jane Borges. Summons were also issued to Zaidi and Borges.
Kathiawadi was a real-life character who allegedly owned a brothel in the red-light area of Bombay city during her lifetime. The court said that prima facie the complaint had made sufficient grounds to proceed further against the accused. The case will come up for hearing on 21st May. In its order, the court said, “To portray the image of deceased Gangubai without consent of family members amounts to defaming her image.”