GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI: Movie Review

The following review is part of an online series entitled ‘Best Indian Films of 2022’. The reviews are being published in no particular ranking/order.

Gangubai Kathiawadi is the newest feature from director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in Bollywood, who helmed projects such as Devdas and Bajirao Mastani. Bhansali, who is frequently known for his larger-than-life films, has had quite the run recently with historical period dramas such as Bajirao Mastani and Padmavat. Here, he continues the trend with another historical piece based on the life of sex worker-turned-politician Gangubai Kathiawadi. Based on the chapter on her life featured in Mafia Queens of Mumbai by Hussan Zaidi, this new film from Bhansali features all of the director’s greatest strengths and weaknesses – his helm on craftsmanship and evocative style remains consistently roaring, while still succumbing to overproportioned storytelling that sometimes airs on the side of corny and preachy. Nevertheless, Bhansali’s film is audacious in all the right way, telling a compelling story of how a woman on the margins of society reclaimed her power and individuality, and used it to fight for the good of others. At the center of it is Alia Bhatt, who gives a sometimes inconsistent but otherwise fantastic turn as the lead character. It arguably isn’t her best performance to date, but it definitely leads the ranks, as the performer puts in the work to encapsulate a complex character. Gangubai Kathiawadi is a flawed but compelling look into a life that was as yet undiscovered.

Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi.

In terms of performance, Alia Bhatt leads the film with panache and gumption, in what is certainly one of her best performances to date. The performer is bombastic, larger-than-life, and endlessly compelling in this role, even if she can’t quite bridge the gaps of some of the weaker writing in the second half of the film. Regardless, Bhatt gives one of her most daring performances yet – in the key moments of the film, she is transformative and transfixing as Gangubai. Also excellent here is Seema Pahwa as Sheela, who imbues her comedic sensibilities extremely well into the first half. The film is also incomplete without a commanding performance from Ajay Devgn as Rahim Lala or Vijay Raaz as Raziabai, Gangubai’s major political rival. Ultimately, though, the film is driven by Alia Bhatt – she is in every frame, and when she hits the right notes of the performance, she turns in excellent work.

A still from Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a fascinating partner to this material – namely because, on paper, it would appear that the film would require a degree of realism to truly convey. In this sense, Bhansali is a counterintuitive choice, since he is known for his dreamy and fantastical sequences that often rely on the power of suggestion over detail. However, in another sense, Bhansali is the perfect filmmaker for the material, as someone who can give a creative touch to the landscape and add a layer of poetry and empathy to the characters. As it stands, therefore, Gangubai Kathiawadi is a showcase of the filmmaker’s weaknesses and strengths. The movie is clearly bloated – at nearly 2h 38m, the last thirty minutes or so don’t come together as convincingly as they should. The final act essentially consists of Gangubai’s speech (it’s rousing, thought-provoking, and well-intentioned, but not thunderous enough) and a final narration that feels forced and corny. Narratively, also, there are sometimes hiccups in the screenplay, mostly due to the attempts to cram in too much into the script. That being said, there is an unequivocal evocative, stylish, and epic sense to Gangubai Kathiawadi that complements its engaging characters and thought-provoking themes. The first half of the film, especially, showcases Bhansali’s ability to craft beautiful sequences – one of the most memorable being a visual depiction of what happens at Gangubai’s brothel when the electricity gets cut off. Bhansali’s visual touches and rich, detailed script are not the likes of something like Mandi – the proceedings are mainstream, but Gangubai’s film is as daring as her – the subtext is too often spelled out, but the potency is not lost.