The trailer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiyawadi was released recently. The film is based on the life story of Gangubhai, a woman who flourished in the red street of Kamathipura. Actress Alia Bhatt plays Gangubai in the film. After the release of the trailer and posters, many people are curious to know who Gangubai is. Who was really Gangubai?Gangubhai's life is explained in Hussain Saidi's book Mafia Queen. This book is also the basis of the movie. Gangubai is a native of Kathiyawad in Gujarat. His real name was Ganga Harjivandas Kathiyawadi. Gangubai was destined to become a sex worker at a very young age.Gangubhai's big dream was to become an actress. For that purpose was to reach Mumbai by any means. Gangubhai met Ramnik Lal during his college days. Ramnik Lal was his father's accountant. Gangubhai moved to Mumbai at the age of 16 with Ramnik Lal as love blossomed. Along with a life together, Gangubhai also had movie ambitions in his mind.​Ramnik Lal Gangubhai was pushed into sexual purity not long before his life began. He sold Gangubai to a brothel for five hundred rupees and went back. With that, her acting ambitions were also destroyed. What followed was Gangubhai's transformation into the mafia queen of Kamathipura. Many of the underworld leaders were regular customers of Gangubhai.At that time Gangubhai was gang-raped by the gang of the main mafia boss Karim Lala. But Gangubhai was not ready to give up. Karim approached Lala and demanded justice. For that, Karim tied Lala's rakhi to him and made him equal to his brother. Karim Lala also saw Gangubhai as a sister. The position of Karim Lala's sister also made Gangubhai the queen of the mafia world.Then Gangubhai also started running a brothel in Kamathipura. Bringing girls to the needy, links with underworld gangs and drug trafficking earned Gangubhai the nickname of Kamathipura's madam. But it is also said that not a single girl was kept in the brothel without her consent.Later, Gangubhai also took the lead in constantly working for the upliftment of sex workers and orphans. Gangubhai also took the initiative to meet then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to discuss improving the quality of life of sex workers. For Gangubhai, every woman and child living in Kamathipura was like his children.A statue and pictures are still kept in Kamathipura in memory of Gangubhai.

Controversies followed the film

After the release of the trailer of the movie, controversies are also on the rise.​Gangubhai's adopted son Babu Raoji and granddaughter Bharati had come out against the film. The family's complaint is that the way the mother is portrayed in the film is bad and a social worker is only portrayed as a prostitute. Bharti also says that he did not seek permission before writing the book and while shooting the film. They are belittling their family for money.Bharti says that her grandmother had adopted children and was a woman who dedicated her life to the sex workers of Kamathipura throughout her life.