Gangubai Kathiawadi- A Stipulation for Action

The dashing Alia Bhatt has once again taken the world by storm in her latest release- Gangubai Kathiawade. This movie is unlike your regular biopic- with a topic that has been ignored by society, this movie raised awareness on the struggles faced by women who are forced to turn to prostitution as means of earning a livelihood. Alia Bhatt wondrously enacted the life of Gangubai Kathiawadi and expressed a rollercoaster of emotions that was able to tear up the audience while also immersing them in a one-of-a-kind experience. She took us on a tide of heightened emotions with each passing scene curated with passion and realism with which she effortlessly brought the harsh realities of struggles faced by many brothels, especially in countries like India. Yearning to gain the exact voice she was unable to look for when betrayed by none other than her loved one, she religiously fought for the girls facing stigmatized treatment for being wards of courtesans in order to aid them in gaining a stabilized place in society. It’s a film expressing the fundamental rights that are yet to be catered to when women ask for support, and it’s a film veritably depicting the concept and execution of ‘women supporting women’. The movie serves as a force of empowerment on treating the term ‘prostitution’ with the equal respect that is given to other jobs as well, regardless of the line of work and its quality, and aims to end the stereotype regarding the ideology of catering to prostitution for reasons whatsoever. A heartfelt film to sit and enjoy when inspiration is required to voice one’s opinions with clarity, integrity, and most importantly- confidence.

By Tarini Dayal