Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ featuring Alia Bhatt in the lead role that earned her a National Award, has garnered significant acclaim. However, a recent revelation by Aditya Narayan, who previously assisted Bhansali, has sparked curiosity. Narayan shared that Bhansali initially considered Rani Mukerji for the titular role in ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ before Alia Bhatt was cast.
Narayan recounted his experience working with Bhansali during a discussion on Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s YouTube channel. He admitted that after his own film, ‘Shaapit,’ flopped, he faced a period of unemployment, finding it difficult to secure work. His fortunes changed when he got an opportunity to host ‘X Factor,’ where Bhansali was a judge.
Aditya Narayan’s Journey as Bhansali’s Assistant
Aditya Narayan shared that a suggestion from Sonu Nigam led him to approach Sanjay Leela Bhansali about assisting him. Initially, Bhansali playfully dismissed the idea, but after a week, he began assigning tasks to Narayan. It was during this period that Bhansali was contemplating two scripts: ‘Ram-Leela’ and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi.’ Narayan recalled Bhansali presenting both scripts to the team for feedback, and he personally favored ‘Ram-Leela.’ He also mentioned that at that time, Bhansali seemed to be leaning towards casting Rani Mukerji for ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi.’
About ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’
Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ is a biographical crime drama inspired by a chapter from Hussain Zaidi’s book ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai.’ The film portrays Alia Bhatt’s character as a young woman who overcomes adversity to become a powerful and respected figure in Mumbai’s red-light district. The movie also features Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh, and Ajay Devgn. It was a significant commercial success, grossing ₹211.5 crore globally.
Currently, Aditya Narayan is involved in Ashneer Grover’s show ‘Rise & Fall,’ while Sanjay Leela Bhansali is reportedly working on his next project, ‘Love & War,’ starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, with a planned release in 2026.
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