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Review: ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’: Alia steals hearts as Gangubai

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Film: ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ (Running in Theatres); Duration: 157 minutes

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Cast: Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Huma Qureshi, Seema Pahwa, Vijay Raaz, Jim Sarbh, Chhaya Kadam, Mitali Jagtap, Indira Tiwari, Shantanu Maheshwari

Rating: ****

Auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest oeuvre, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ is based on the chapter, ‘The Matriarch of Kamatipura’ from the book ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai – Stories of Women from the Ganglands’ authored by S. Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges.

This is the compelling story of Ganga Harjivandas Kathiawadi, the daughter of a barrister from Kathiawar, who with stardust in her eyes, ran away from home to become an actress only to find herself sold in the brothel of Kamathipura, a neighbourhood of Mumbai famous for flesh-trade. This film unravels Ganga’s journey from a brothel worker to an activist fighting for the rights of the sex workers. In the film, Ganga calls herself “Ganga Jagjivandas Kathiawadi.”

While Ganga’s story is filled with pain and pathos, the narrative effortless makes the film appear like a sunshine film that motivates. “Gangubai mahaan nahin thi, woh shaitan bhi nahi thi,” and despite this, Bhansali brilliantly manages to portray her as a larger-than-life character, and you empathise with her when she puts forth her point of view regarding the women of her tribe.

The film is loaded with admirable performances from its ace star cast.

The film is an outright Alia Bhatt’s canvas where she delivers a flawless performance showcasing a gamut of emotions and her dancing skills with aplomb. She steals the show on several counts, be it while speaking to her mother over the phone, or headbutting with Raziabai (Vijay Raaz) the eunuch who is standing for the local elections, or flirting with the apprentice tailor Afshan Razak (Shantanu Maheshwari), or dancing during the Navratri celebrations where she delivers complex steps to an intense song in a seamlessly one lengthy shot.

It is impossible to take your eyes off Ajay Devgn who, in a significantly minor role as the principled mafia don Rahimlala is intense and intimidating all at the same time. Seema Pahwa, who as Sheelamaasi, the madam of the brothel, is fascinating. Similarly, Vijay Raaz as the eunuch Raziabai is enthralling, and Shantanu Maheshwari as Gangubai’s love interest Afshan Razak is charming.

Unfortunately, Huma Qureshi in a stage performance is wasted.

This engaging biopic contains all the tropes of a typical SLB film. Bhansali astutely manages to put his inimitable stamp into every frame of the film, which appears like poetry on the screen, emotionally expressive and attractive. The screenplay is water-tight and engaging, keeping you riveted to the screen for over two and a half hours. The dialogues full of wit and hard-hitting messages are fresh and worth mentioning. Sample this, when Razia challenges Gangubai before the election campaign, Gangubai tells her, “Tuje kyon tevar dikhaongi mein tuje din main tare dikhaongi.”

Mounted with brilliant production qualities the film is visually captivating with well-etched characters, resplendent sets, and period costumes. While the timelines in the film are ambiguous and blurred, it nevertheless captures the period from the mid-1950s to the 1960s, with film posters from that era, prominent among them being ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ and ‘Chaudhvin Ka Chand.’

The music, as usual, is exceptional but a bit low-key compared to SBL’s previous films. Two songs cater to the Garba audience, and they are both fabulously choreographed and picturised.

Overall, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ is worth watching on the big screen.

Bollywood

Nargis Fakhri Marriage: Who Is Tony Beig? Here’s All You Need To Know About Housefull 5 Actress’ Husband

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Nargis Fakhri has always guarded her personal life, and has never spoken about her relationships. Many years ago, she was in the news for dating Uday Chopra, but both the actors never confirmed their relationship. Later, Nargis made it to the headlines for being in a relationship with businessman Tony Beig, but once again, the actress never spoke about it.

Now, recently, there have been reports of Nargis and Tony getting married, and a few inside pictures of their wedding made it to the social media. However, in those pictures apart from the venue and a cake, we don’t get to see anything else.

A report in TOI confirmed that the two got married last week in California and the wedding was a low-key affair. Reportedly, the couple are currently on their honeymoon in Switzerland.

While Nargis’ fans wait to see their favourite actress’ wedding pictures, let us give you a brief about who Tony Beig is. The 41-year-old businessman hails from Kashmir, but he is now settled in the US. He is the founder of Dioz Group which was launched in 2006. Many brands like Alanic, Oasis, 8Health, 8EV and 1 Energy come under Dioz Group.

Beig did his MBA from Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne, and while his company has its headquarters in Los Angeles, they have multiple offices in different parts of the world like London, Dubai, Riyadh, Sydney, Dhaka, Shanghai, and Kolkata.

Tony’s brother Johnny Beig is a film producer, and his father Shakeel Ahmad Beig is a politician. Shakeel Ahmad Beig earlier was the Deputy Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir.

Nargis hails from the US, and reportedly, the two have been in a relationship from the past three years. While Nargis and Tony have not yet officially announced their wedding, the latter recently shared a picture with the actress on his Instagram story.

Meanwhile, the actress, who has been away from the big screens for quite sometime, is all set to make her comeback with Housefull 5.

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Yo Yo Honey Singh Millionaire Mumbai Tour: Check Out Dates, Venue, How To Book Tickets Online & More

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Mumbai: Rapper Honey Singh is set to start the ‘Millionaire India Tour,’ which begins in Mumbai. The concert is set for Saturday, February 22, in Nesco Pvt Ltd, Mumbai.

Honey Singh Who has given hit songs and albums like Brown Rang, Love Dose, etc, has always been a choice of the Gen Z generation. The rapper shared with India today that, “Tomorrow, we are performing for the first time not the first time, but the first show of the Millionaire India Tour, and we are excited. Let’s do it!”

The artist, known for his energetic performances, shared with the media that he’s “rehearsing for the show” for the first time, marking a new era in his performances. He explained that the “Stage Aajtak” show is “meticulously directed and choreographed,” featuring a six-piece live band, new visuals, and a fresh sound.

Singh said, “I have been performing for more than 15 years now, but this time, it’s a wholly directed and choreographed show.” He added, “For the first time in my life, I have to rehearse before the show.” As the ‘Millionaire India Tour’ begins, fans can expect “something very new and very different.”

About Concert Tickets and Venue

The concert will be held at Nesco Pvt Ltd in Mumbai, and tickets start at around ₹3,500. As part of his much-awaited tour, Honey Singh will be playing in ten Indian cities.

How to Book Tickets

From the given link of District by Zomato, fans can book tickets. His ‘Millionaire India Tour’ trip starts in Mumbai on February 22 and continues to Lucknow on February 28, Delhi on March 1, Indore on March 8, Pune on March 14, Ahmedabad on March 15, Bengaluru on March 22, Chandigarh on March 23, Jaipur on March 29, and Kolkata on April 5.

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Ali Fazal to don a never-before-seen avatar in Prosit Roy’s magnum opus thriller

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Mumbai, Feb 21: Actor Ali Fazal is all set to don a never-seen-before avatar in Prosit Roy’s upcoming magnum opus action thriller.

Fazal has teamed up with ‘Paatal Lok’ director Prosit Roy for the action thriller before beginning work on ‘Mirzapur: The Film.’ The yet-to-be-titled project is scheduled to commence production in mid-2025 after he wraps up his current commitments with Raj & DK’s period fantasy drama series, Rakht Brahmand.

Speaking about the collaboration, a source close to the production shared, “This series is designed to be a thrilling, large-scale action spectacle, unlike anything Ali has done before. Prosit Roy’s unique vision and storytelling prowess make him the perfect director to helm this project. With Ali’s dedication to his craft and Sonali Bendre’s strong screen presence, we are looking at a film that will push boundaries in both narrative depth and action sequences. The team is gearing up for something truly special.”

The insider added that the ‘Fukrey’ actor is likely to be seen in an avatar like never before. In addition to the new series, Ali Fazal is gearing up for the highly anticipated “Mirzapur: The Film,” along with the releases of “Metro In Dino.”. The actor also has other exciting projects, including “Lahore 1947,” the pan-India film “Thug Life,” his Hollywood venture “Rule Breakers,” and “Rakht Brahmand.”

Ali had earlier spoken about his incredible slate of projects. He mentioned, “2025 feels like the culmination of years of hard work and passion for storytelling. I’m incredibly excited about the diverse range of projects I’m a part of this year. From exploring the intricate stories of Metro… In Dino and stepping into the world of Mirzapur again, but this time on the big screen, to working with Mani Ratnam sir in Thug Life, it has been a creatively enriching journey. Collaborating with Raj and DK on a period drama like Rakhtbrahmand has been a thrilling experience, as they continue to redefine the OTT space in India.”

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