Not Alia, these 5 actors would've suited 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' better
Sanjay Leela Bhansali dropped the trailer for his much-anticipated biographical crime drama Gangubai Kathiawadi recently. Alia Bhatt essays the role of Gangubai, an influential figure from the Kamathipura red-light area in Mumbai. While her acting chops through different ages as "Gangu" were praised, she was deemed less experienced/young to play this mature character. Here, we list five actors who could have been better alternatives.
Our first and foremost bet is on Madhuri Dixit, who has led various strong roles in Bollywood with dignity and elegance in the past. And, the Kalank star matches the exact temperament needed for the character. Most importantly, she does look the part of being the undeclared ruler of Kamathipura. Interestingly, Bhansali is in talks to work with Dixit on his Netflix project, Heeramandi.
Widening our search, South Indian star Priyamani has both the stature and acting quality to play a woman who has seen it all and yet emerged victorious. Not an undiscovered face in Bollywood, the Chaarulatha actor has recently gained much recognition nationwide for her stint on the popular Amazon Prime Video series The Family Man. This role would have provided her with much-deserved limelight.
Our next entry is someone who has cemented her position in mainstream Bollywood as a female superstar. We're talking about Kangana Ranaut. The National Film Award winner has given life to numerous iconic characters in the last few years and Gangubai's role seems right up her alley. The 34-year-old would have also been able to embody both the young and aged versions of Gangubai.
Going regional, now we will discuss the talented Bengali actor Ananya Chatterjee. The 45-year-old has this unique ability to look, live, and experience the roles that she plays and Gangubai Kathiawadi would have been perfect to emote her talent. Having bagged a National Film Award for her part in Abohomaan (2009), Chatterjee debuted in Hindi with the 2013 dark comedy Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa.
We will conclude this list with a name that remains underutilized in the industry: Raveena Tandon. Having given us classics like Shool and Daman, Tandon has both the range and the recognition to play Gangubai. The '90s superstar recently made a return with the Netflix series Aranyak and her comeback would have been glorious if it happened with the Bhansali film.
