Big Picture Big Sound

Brothel Dancing

When I started watching "Gangubai Kathiawadi" I knew I was seeing a movie from India, but I didn't know I would be seeing a Bollywood movie. For anyone who isn't familiar with the term Bollywood, it signifies a Hindi film style that includes colorful, highly theatrical song and dance scenes popping at any given moment, even if the film is telling an incredibly serious story.

This new crime drama from prolific director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is loosely based on Gangubai Kothewali, whose life was documented in the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai. It's about a simple girl whose evolves from lowly hooker in a cheap brothel into a very powerful, political woman.

Alia Bhatts portrays her, and there is no denying that she manages to carry the film on her back with a fearless performance. There are a couple of other good performances here, but this is a showcase for Ms. Bhatts.

The story begins with a young girl who is forced into prostitution but refuses to perform her duties. The madame of the brothel tortures her to convince her to start cooperating. When that fails, the madame sends for Gangubai who sits with the young girl and tells her of her own tortured life. The bulk of the film is then told in flashback, and we witness Gangubai's life through its twists and turns.

When Bhatts is on screen, everything works great. Thankfully, she is in most of the scenes, but as strong as the topic is and as strong as the acting is, there are some scenes that descend into total mawkishness. One of the great examples is near the end, when Gangubai addresses hundreds of respected members of society in a large hall. It rings horribly untrue.

Bhatts is great, and "Gangubai Kathiawadi" explores an important issue. The film looks great too, but it's a little too over-the-top for me to call it a must-see. To be fair, when singing and dancing interrupts drama, I tend to check out. If that stuff's okay with you, you may love it. You probably already know your views on this. Act accordingly.