Alia cried, raved, locked herself in a room when Inshallah got shelved: Bhansali

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has said that actor Alia Bhatt “cracked up, cried, raved, ranted, and locked herself in a room” when their film Inshallah got shelved. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Bhansali shared how Alia Bhatt reacted when she was told she would play the role of Gangubai in Gangubai Kathiawadi instead. (Also Read | Alia Bhatt finds her walk is ‘strange like a duck’, says had to work hard to bring the swag for Gangubai Kathiawadi)
Bhansali said, “I was doing Inshallah with her. Then it suddenly got shelved. She broke down, cracked up, cried, raved, ranted, and locked herself in a room. Then I called her up after one week, and I said you are playing Gangubai. She said, ‘From Los Angeles, where I was supposed to be playing the character (in Inshallah), I have come to Kamathipura. How do I do it? I don’t know this character’. I said, ‘Do you trust me, and do you know me?’ Then I’ll tap into that strong woman in you because I can see it in your eyes. I can see how strong how convinced you are of certain things that you do, I’ve understood your personality’.”
He also added, “How do you tap into an actor who says, ‘I didn’t know I could play the brothel madam. I didn’t know I had a lower pitch, I didn’t know I had to stand there and do this. I’ve started enjoying sir.’ And she just flew into the role. She even today sometimes talks like Gangubai. It’s so much a part of it. It’s so beautiful to have believed in her, to have tapped in her.”
Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) is a crime drama film directed by Bhansali, starring Alia in the title role. The film is based on S Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai and follows the journey of Gangu, who was sold into a brothel in Mumbai’s Kamathipura. It also stars Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh and Ajay Devgn.
The duo will work together in Love and War which also stars Ranbir Kapoor, and Vicky Kaushal. The film will now be out in theatres on March 20, 2026. Love and War is expected to go on floors in the coming months.