Aryan Grover
In the hearing for a criminal defamation suit filed against the producers of the film “Gangubai Kathiyawadi”, the authors of the book “The Mafia Queens of Mumbai”, and actress Alia Bhatt, summons have been issued to all the parties involved.
The novel, authored by S Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges, has chapters on the late social activist, Gangubai Kathiawadi, who is famous for her work for the rights of sex workers. This novel is the source from which the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film is being
adapted. In the complaint, it has been alleged that the film portrays Gangubai as a prostitute, a brothel keeper, and a mafia queen, and objection was also taken towards the fact that she was seen smoking a bidi in the promo of the picture.
The court observed that
“Even if it is considered that she was a prostitute, that does not mean that anybody has permission or write to show or mention her as a prostitute in public.”
The Magistrate believes that Shah has shown sufficient grounds to proceed against the accused for the offense of defamation, as provided under Sections 500, 501, and 502 of the Indian Penal Code.
The suit had been filed by the supposed adopted son of Gangubai Kathiawadi, Babuji Shah. Shah claims that the chapters in the novel are defamatory towards her late mother since they tarnish her reputation and infringe upon the right to privacy and self-respect of the deceased woman.
Shah also claims that after the release of the promo of the picture, the people in his locality have passed inappropriate comments on him and especially his family members, who have suffered from being associated with a prostitute.