‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ Gets UA Certificate With 4 Cuts, Scene With Nehru Changed

'Gangubai Kathiawadi' starring Alia Bhatt is scheduled for release on 25 February.

Alia Bhatt in and as Gangubai Kathiawadi.

(Photo Courtesy: Instagram)

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Gangubai Kathiawadi is slated for a theatrical release on 25 February. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) reportedly gave the film a UA (‘Unrestricted with Caution’) rating with four major changes and some voluntary edits.

These are the changes/edits made to the film, according to Bollywood Hungama:

• An abusive word was changed to ‘ma*arjaat’

• A 17-second dialogue and visuals were removed

• A dialogue of 43 seconds was removed

• Scene of Jawaharlal Nehru ‘embedding a rose on Gangubai’s shoulder’ was changed

• Disclaimers in Hindi and English were added, each slide increased by 5 seconds

• Producers asked to make two changes to the ‘Thank You’ slate and the credits

The CBFC cleared Gangubai Kathiawadi on 30 December 2021, the report stated, adding that the film sits at a duration of 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 51 seconds post edits. Gangubai Kathiawadi stars Alia Bhatt as Gangubai, a young girl trafficked into sex work who becomes an advocate for sex workers’ rights and rises in the ranks to become the matriarch of Kamathipura.

The movie is based on a chapter in Hussain Zaidi's 'Mafia Queens of Mumbai'. The book features an interaction between Gangubai and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The excerpt reads, "She told him that if he was ready to make her Mrs Nehru, she would be willing to abandon her business for good. Nehru was taken aback and reprimanded her for having dared to talk to him like that. But a calm Gangubai smiled and said, ‘Don’t get angry Pradhan Mantri Ji. I just wanted to prove a point; it is always easier to preach than practise.’

The film, which had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Fest, also stars Ajay Devgn and Vijay Raaz.