Gangubai Kathiawadi has a dark and disturbing beginning. It then turns into an entertaining thriller-drama. The character of Gangubai is well fleshed out and even the other characters are well infused into the narrative. The romantic episode and the tracks of Rahim Lala (Ajay Devgn) and Razia Bai (Vijay Raaz) are quite memorable. However, the second half lacks a solid punch and has more of drama. The dialogues (by Prakash Kapadia and Utkarshini Vashishtha) are hard-hitting and uplift certain scenes. Yet, one wished the film had more thrill, especially when ‘Mafia Queen’ term was used more than once to describe Gangubai. The music is also a big letdown. Speaking of performances, Alia Bhatt delivers the best work of her career. The way she slips into the character is seen to be believed. Ajay Devgn rocks the show, despite being there for around 10 minutes. Vijay Raaz is entertaining. Shantanu Maheshwari and Jim Sarbh are adorable. Seema Pahwa leaves a mark. Indira Tiwari (Kamli) is a surprise. Varun Kapoor (Ramneek) and Rahul Vohra (Prime Minister) are fine. All in all, Gangubai Kathiawadi is worth a watch for Alia Bhatt, the message and for some well executed moments by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
My rating – *** out of 5!