Would Deepika Beat Alia To The National Award?

  The shooting  of Sanjay Leela  Bhansali’s  new  film Gangubai Kathiawadi  which he claims  would be  a discernible departure  from his recent  samey costume dramas,  has begun in  Mumbaion a set  depicting  a brothel.

And Alia  as Gangubai is unrecognizable! Almost as  much saw  as Deepika in  Chhapaak as real-life  acid victim Laxmi Aggarwal. Alia  has been  persuaded  into changing her  looks, clothes, body language  and speech.

The identity of her co-star has been  kept  a secret. We can tell  you it is a newcomer whom Bhansali immediately  singled out during auditions. The  debutante will be introduced by and by. For now, no cell phones are allowed on the set as  Bhansali doesn’t want the set design and Alia’s unique look to  go out in the public domain.

The last  time Bhansali worked with a newcomer  was when he produced his niece Sharmin’s  film with Javed Jaffrey’s son Meezan in Malaal.

  Gangubai Kathiawadi   will showcase Alia’s transformative talent.  The director is  confident that it would fetch Alia her  first National award. But there is  already a very strong performance  in 2020 in  the pipeline and that’s Deepika Padukone  in  Meghna  Gulzar’s Chhapaak. Chances are, Deepika will walk away with the  National award  if for no  other reason, then the sympathy  vote.

Understandably  the Government would rather honour an actress  for playing an acid victim than for  another actress playing a gangster.

Deepika being Bhansali’s favourite this  impending tussle  for  the awards  next year should in no way dampen Bhansali’s spirits. Deepika and  Bhansali continue  to  be in close contact . If all goes well  Deepika  would be  making a  guest appearance  in Gangubai Kathiawadi.

But  hush,enough said.