Speculations have been rife in the tinsel town of Bollywood that after the shelving of Inshallah, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has offered a new film to Alia Bhatt. Even the Raazi (2018) actress has confirmed that she will be working with Bhansali very soon. Reportedly, the Padmaavat (2018) helmer has offered Alia Bhatt a film called Gangubai. The latest news we hear about the project is that it will start rolling in mid-October.
“Many felt the news of SLB making a film on Gangubai’s life is speculative. But he is indeed working on the project. It is based on a chapter from famous crime writer S Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens Of Mumbai. Sanjay Leela Bhansali had worked on the script long time ago but he kept it on the backburner as he got busy with Inshallah. Now with Inshallah being shelved, he decided to go ahead with the Gangubai film,” a source in the know tells a popular portal.
The source goes on to add, “Sanjay Leela Bhansali has the dates of Alia as she was the female lead in Inshallah. Hence, he decided to cast her for Gangubai. Also, he feels that the role suits her to the T. Gangubai was a powerful woman who ran multiple brothels across Mumbai and SLB feels he can take the challenge and extract a convincing and fine performance from the young actress.”
The source adds that the film will mount the shooting floor in mid-October, “Right now, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is working dedicatedly on the pre-production, music and in giving final touches to the script. Alia has also got the brief and she too is putting all the effort in understanding the part. Bhansali wants to formally announce the project but he is waiting for the shraddh period to end as it is considered to be an inauspicious time. Once the said period ends on September 28, a grand announcement will be made. The film will go on floors in mid-October and shooting is expected to end by February.”
Alice Johnson attends a special screening of Lee Cronin's "The Mummy"Getty Images
