Gangubai Kathiawadi: Bombay HC grants interim stay in defamation case against Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Alia Bhatt

The Bombay High Court has granted an interim stay on proceedings initiated by a local court against actor Alia Bhatt and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in a criminal defamation complaint filed in connection with the movie 'Gangubai Kathiawadi'. 

The HC granted the interim stay till the next date of hearing -- September 7.

The case was filed after one Babuji Shah, who claimed to be the adopted son of Gangubai Kathiawadi, said the film would defame his mother.

Based on the life of Gangubai Kathiawadi starring Alia Bhatt in the leading role, it is on one of the most powerful, loved and respected madams from Kamathipura, Mumbai's red-light area, during the 1960s.

Shah claimed the movie was inspired by 'The Mafia Queens of Mumbai' novel. According to Shah, some portions of the novel were defamatory, tarnished Gangubai Kathiawadi's reputation and infringed upon her right to privacy.

In a related development, another HC bench refused to grant a stay on the release of the movie as Shah had moved the HC, seeking a stay on release of the movie, and an order restraining the writers/publishers of the novel from creating any third-party rights or writing any other story on the life of Gangubai Kathiawadi.