Mumbai court issues summons to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi defamation case

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s _Gangubai Kathiawadi_ , featuring Alia Bhatt in the titular role, landed in legal trouble last year when Gangubai’s adopted son Babu Ravji Shah filed a case against the makers. He alleged that the film and its source material, author Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, are ‘ defamatory ’. As per the latest reports, a Mumbai Court has now issued summons to Bhansali, Alia, and two writers in connection to the case. The film’s team and Babu Ravji Shah have been asked to appear before the court on 21 May. In the complaint, Shah had claimed that the biographical crime drama is factually incorrect and has shown his family in the wrong way. Adapted from one of the chapters of Zaidi’s book, Gangubai Kathiawadi is Bhansali’s tenth directorial venture. It narrates the story of a brothel owner and also stars Ajay Devgn in a special role. The film was originally scheduled to release in theatres in September last year, however, got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bhansali and Jayantilal Gada’s Pen India Limited are co-producing the movie which is slated to hit the big screens on 30 July. Meanwhile, Bhatt will be next seen in Ayan Mukherji’s _Brahmastra_ alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor. She is also making her south debut with SS Rajamouli’s _RRR_ . Recently, on her birthday, the makers had released her first look  from the Ram Charan and Jr NTR-starrer.