Two petitions have moved the Bombay High Court against the movie Gangubai Kathiawadi featuring Alia Bhatt in the lead role and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The petition is seeking a stay on the movie’s release alleging that the movie casts a stigma on the entire area of Kamathipura as well as the Kathiawadi community by portraying it as a prostitution hub in entirety.
One PIL has been filed by Amin Patel, local Member of the Legislative Assembly. Kamathipura happens to fall under his assembly segment. The other petition is filed by a ten year old resident of Kamathipura, Shraddha Surve.
Patel's petition is likely to be heard by a division bench headed by the Chief Justice and Surve's petition is likely to be heard by a division bench headed by Justice Gautam Patel tomorrow. The movie's release date is for this Friday – February 25, 2022.
While seeking circulation for the plea filed by residents their counsel submitted that in the movie, the entire Kamathipura area is branded as a red-light area. "Whatever activity is carried out in only 2-3 lanes. They can call it maya-nagri, mayapuri, just not Kamathipura." If the movie is released, women living in the area would be termed as prostitutes, it will cause great prejudice to them.
The respondents in the plea filed by Amin Patel include film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, producer Jayantilal Gada and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The second plea filed by Shraddha Amol Surve impleads Bhansali Productions and Pen India Limited as respondents, along with Bhansali and Gada.
Both the petitions narrate the history of the area of Kamathipura and say that the movie effectively casts aspersions on the entire area of Kamathipura as a "red light area" though it is only a small part of the area where commercial sex workers live and work.
“The size of the area is about 1.56 square kilometre whereas the entire Kamathipura is admeasuring in to 52 acre of land with more then 2.5 lakhs of population and there are 42 lanes wherein not even 5 percent of the area is Prostitute area," says Surve's petition.
Patel's petition, which also annexes various letters/representations received from people objecting to the portrayal of the area and the community. Patel also emphasises that the trailer of the movie does not even display a disclaimer.
In the petition filed by Advocate Dhruti Kapadia, Patel says that he has been communicating with the relevant persons; however, he hasn't received any response from anyone.
Patel also says that the book, on which the movie is based, does not have Gangubai's last name as Kathiawadi. He went on to clarify through his petition that Kathiawadi is the last name used by people who hail from a particular region in Saurashtra, Gujarat. He insisted that the word Kathiawadi be deleted from the movie completely.
"They have categorically mentioned that this maligns the 200 years history and truth of Kamathipura and it hurts their sentiments as they have worked extremely hard to erase the social stigma they have gone through for the betterment of future generations," Patel's petition reads quoting one of the representations received by him as the MLA of the constituency.
On the alleged misrepresentation of the Kathiawadi community, Patel's petition states, "The Petitioner has since the making of the movie raised objections in Assembly House as it certainly hurts the sentiments of the people at large and shows a negative picture of Kamathipura and Kathiwadi Community as a whole. It gives a social stigma to the entire community and public opinion at large would have a wrong maligning impression about people from that vicinity and community."
The petition further adds that he has no intention of causing any losses to those connected with the movie; however, he is compelled to raise the issue due to the tremendous unrest in the area as well as the community.
The petition also annexes a communication received from Gangubai's daughter Babita Chandra Gowda saying that her mother Gangubai Harjivandas Kathiyawadi was shown in the movie as a "prostitute and mafia queen" which was harming her and her families dignity and as well as her area's dignity.
Surve as well as Patel's petition state that the area is a largely populated residential area with people doing various kinds of jobs, and does not limit to the inhabitation of commercial sex workers.
"Demographic of the area has drastically changed as more than 40 Acre of "Kamathipura" is surrounded with Temples, Mosques, Church Schools, playground, and above 800 landlords. Now Kamathipura area is famous for business and Kapada Market," says Patel's petition.
Surve's petition, on the other hand, says, "That till today the Petitioner and its neighbourhood are questioned about the illegal business which occurs during both day and night."
