19 February,2021 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi
On Wednesday, a Mumbai civil court dismissed Babuji Rawji Shah's plea, seeking an injunction against Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Alia Bhatt's film Gangubai Kathiawadi. Shah, who claims to be the adopted son of Gangubai Harjivandas of Kathiawadi, had alleged that Hussain Zaidi and mid-day's Jane Borges's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai tarnishes his mother's reputation and hence, sought a restraining order against its publishing, selling and creating third party rights. He had also sought a permanent injunction against Bhansali - whose biopic is based on one of the chapters from the novel - from producing, directing or airing any promo of the movie.
Undeterred by the civil court's ruling, Shah now intends to knock on the doors of the Bombay High Court. Talking to mid-day, his legal counsel Narendra Dubey said, "We will take the appeal to a higher court. The movie is still in the making. The [defendants] claim that Shah's right to object [to the book] expired in 2015. We have also filed a criminal suit for defamation that will be heard on March 1. The story is bogus. The book claims that she was a sex worker, running a brothel and was apparently raped by one of the gang members of Karim Lala. She has been portrayed as a female don. Shah had no knowledge of the book. Prior to 2011, there is no public document of her running a brothel. There is no FIR against her. She was a social activist who worked for women empowerment. She had no criminal links at all."
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During the hearing on Wednesday, DSK Legal, representing Bhansali, Bhatt, Zaidi and Borges, noted that while the novel was published in 2011, Shah filed the suit only in December 2020. Legal counsel Pradeep Gandhy added that since Shah had not adduced any proof evidencing him to be the adopted son of Gangubai, he didn't have the locus standi to file the suit. Responding to this, Dubey states that his client is ready to furnish documents to this end. "Why would he fight a case against such bigwigs without proof?"
Meanwhile, Bhansali is conducting the patchwork shoot of the biopic.
