What's in a name? Indian court suggests Sanjay Leela Bhasnali change Gangubai Kathiawadi's title

The much-anticipated Alia Bhatt-starrer, Gangubai Kathiawadi, has once again found itself in legal trouble after Congress MLA Amin Patel on Tuesday filed a petition in Bombay High Court to change the name of the film. The MLA has alleged that Gangubai Kathiawadi misrepresents Kamathipura as a red-light area while showing the Kathiawadi community in poor light. The film, which is supposed to release on February 25, is one of the most anticipated films of the year.

According to Hindustan Times, the Supreme Court has suggested Sanjay Leela Bhansali change the title of the film. The Gangubai Kathiawadi filmmaker is yet to address the matter. However, earlier, Bhatt had addressed the controversy while speaking to the reporters in New Dehli this week.

“Neither any controversy nor any comment bothers me. I don’t think anything bothers me beyond a point. Of course, I feel like there’s a certain novelty that just a part of a film holds…whether the film is a good film or a bad film ..that doesn’t matter. The audience makes the final decision after watching the film… Anything that happens before or after can’t really change the fate,” the star told ANI while promoting her movie in the national capital on Tuesday.

This is not the first time Bhansali has had to face trouble in regard to his family. A couple of years ago, his film starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor – Padmaavat - received a lot of flak for misrepresenting certain communities. Protests were held across India and the makers of the film had to delay its release. It was only after a name change and several alterations in the film that it was allowed to hit screens. Regardless, the film raked in huge numbers at the box office and was loved by many.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.