The 2022 film Gangubai Kathiawadi offers a fascinating look at the real-life strong leader who improved her community and advocated for basic human rights. Despite becoming one of the most influential figures in Mumbai’s red-light district, little is known about the groundbreaking woman. But while much of her story has not been verified, that doesn’t make her impact on the world of Sєx work any less significant. After all, most of the best biopic movies aren’t entirely based in reality. But Kathiawadi’s legacy is still felt in the hearts of anyone who can relate to her tale of resiliency and determination.
Gangubai Kathiawadi follows the true story of the real-life woman, who was sold into Sєx work at a young age and became an unprecedented activist. The film is loosely based on the non-fiction crime novel Mafia Queens of Mumbai by Hussain Zaidi. Initially released in India to wide critical acclaim, Gangubai Kathiawadi reached American audiences when it began streaming on Netflix.
Gangubai Kathiawadi’s Early Life
She Was Eloped At 16 & Was Sold Into Sєx Slavery
Gangubai Kathiawadi was born Ganga Harjeevandas in 1928, in what is now Gujarat, India, when the country was still under British rule. However, there are conflicting reports regarding Kathiawadi’s birth year and circumstances. Kathiawadi came from a family of lawyers and educators who allegedly had ties to royalty. Her family encouraged her to study and become educated, which was unusual for women at the time. However, Kathiawadi reportedly desired to be a Bollywood actress when she was young (via The Indian Express).
At the age of 16, she ran away from home and eloped with her husband and her father’s accountant, Ramnik Lal. From there, Lal sold Kathiawadi into Sєx work for 500 rupees, which is the equivalent of roughly $5.80 USD today. Despite these horrific circumstances, she became an influential figure in Kamathipura’s red-light district, gaining the favor of prominent mafia members due to her quick wit and street smarts.
Eventually, Kathiawadi was known as the Madame of Kamathipura, as she managed a major brothel in the area, where she treated her workers and Kamathipura’s inhabitants with kindness and respect (via Jagran Josh). Kathiawadi died in 1977.
Gangubai Kathiawadi Advocated For Sєx Workers And Orphans
She Was Considered A Mother Figure To Vulnerable People In Kamathipura
When she achieved prominence, Kathiawadi advocated for the rights of Sєx workers and orphans. The two groups often coincided, as many women who worked in her brothel were orphans or had run away from home. Kathiawadi reportedly never forced any of the young women she encountered into Sєx work, as she had been forced when she was a teenager.
She would often reject young women who had left home and urge them to mend their relationships with their families. She would also counsel women to give them the confidence to rebuild their lives. Kathiawadi was affectionately referred to as Gangubai Ganga Maa, which means mother. In many ways, Kathiawadi was like a mother to numerous people in Kamathipura.
In 1957, though it’s never been officially confirmed, she reportedly met with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to discuss issues facing Sєx workers and orphans, and advocated for keeping her brothel where it was despite public outcry.
What Netflix’s Gangubai Kathiawadi Leaves Out
The Film Glosses Over Her Earning The Respect Of Mafia Boss Karim Lal
While Gangubai Kathiawadi was a box office hit and received much praise for its storytelling and performances, it does omit a few major details regarding Kathiawadi’s life. One of the most glaring inaccuracies in the film is Kathiawadi’s relationship with local goon Shaukat Khan Pathan and mafia leader Karim Lala. In the film, Pathan beats Kathiawadi so severely that she ends up in the hospital. In reality, Pathan had local mafia ties and Sєxually ᴀssaulted Kathiawadi twice.
Kathiawadi then went to Pathan’s boss, mafia leader Karim Lala to seek justice. Lala vowed to protect her. Eventually, the alliance between Lala and Kathiawadi became so intense that she gave him a rakhi (an Indian bracelet symbolizing sibling bonds). From there, Lala declared Kathiawadi to be his sister. Lala eventually handed Kamathipura’s mafia rule to Kathiawadi, making her a mafia queen of Mumbai.
Gangubai Kathiawadi changed Karim Lala’s name to Rahim Lala.
In the film, Lala beats Pathan, which earns Kathiawadi the respect of her brothel, but the film leaves out the seminal moment in Kathiawadi’s life where she earns Lala’s respect and eventually becomes a mafia queen. Instead, Gangubai Kathiawadi focuses more on her social activism, which is understandable. But Kathiawadi was known for her mafia prominence, so it would have been interesting to show her relationship with Lala in more detail and how he essentially handed over the entire red-light district to her.
The film also doesn’t accurately depict Lal and Kathiawadi’s respective ages when they run off together. Lal was 26 when Kathiawadi was 16 when they eloped. Although Kathiawadi was reportedly interested in becoming a Bollywood actress, Lala allegedly didn’t promise her an acting career as the film depicts. In reality, he tricked her by selling her into Sєx work shortly after the pair arrived in Mumbai.
Alia Bhatt’s Thoughts On Gangubai Kathiawadi As A Person
Bhatt Admires Her Vulnerability & Tenacity
Alia Bhatt, who plays Gangubai Kathiawadi in the film, discussed her feelings about the groundbreaking woman in an interview with Variety. Despite only being in her early 30s, the actress has a storied career in Bollywood, as Bhatt also starred in the 2022 hit Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva. In the interview, Bhatt related to Kathiawadi’s desire to become an actress, and that she also admired how the activist never lost her child-like innocence despite being subjected to sub-human living conditions.
The actress said she considers herself innocent, just like Kathiawadi. Bhatt said she was protected as a child and knew very little about the streets of Kamathipura, which serves as the backdrop of Kathiawadi’s story, and that learning about Kathiawadi’s vulnerability inspired her. Regarding Kathiawadi, Bhatt said:
Her innocence and her vulnerability was intact, despite having to play this very strong role for these women. It’s something that I feel sometimes also gave me a lot of guts, to speak in a big room.”
The Impact Of Gangubai Kathiawadi’s Work Still Resonates Today
Kamathipura Has A Statue In Her Honor
Kathiawadi’s reported 1957 meeting with the Indian Prime Minister likely resulted in her brothel being protected, and today, her legacy of humanity and dignity lives on. Many walls in Kamathipura are adorned with images of Kathiawadi meant to pay tribute to her. Although Kathiawadi did not have any children of her own, many people claimed they were her children upon her death.
Her impact was felt not only in Kamathipura but all over the world. Kathiawadi’s advocacy for the civil rights of Sєx workers came before its time, as the issue is still a H๏τ-ʙuттon topic today. But Kathiawadi stood up for her beliefs and values and tried to make her little corner of the world a little more beautiful. A statue of Gangubai Kathiawadi can be found in Kamathipura, honoring her memory.
