Gangubai Kathiawadi: Alia Bhatt And Shantanu Maheshwari’s Love Scene To Be Dropped From The Script

When a nationwide lockdown was declared to help stop the spread of novel coronavirus in March, theatres were shut down and shoots of many upcoming films came to an abrupt halt. As the country slowly began unlocking, government authorities decided to allow filmmakers to resume shooting. Well, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-awaited Gangubai Kathiawadi is expected to be one of the first projects to go back on floors. Starring Alia Bhatt, one of the most talented and adored actresses of Bollywood, the film was initially scheduled to hit theatres on 11^th September this year.

As we are now living in the ‘new normal’, even stepping out of the house requires a lot of precautions. So just imagine how strict filmmakers must be about the safety measures being taken on set! As a result of these severe guidelines, which include social distancing, the director has decided to cut out a ‘tender love scene’ between Alia and her on-screen boyfriend Shantanu Maheshwari. In a report shared by Bollywood Hungama, a source was quoted saying, “I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry in these troubled times. Physical intimacy would definitely be avoided in Bhansali’s shooting. He will find another way of showing a romantic closeness.”

Also featuring Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Vijay Raaz and Seema Pahwa, the biographical crime film is based on a chapter of Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai about Gangubai Kothewali, the madam of a brothel in Kamathipura.