Gangubai Kathiawadi: Alia Bhatt reveals she auditioned for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black

Gangubai Kathiawadi marks the first collaboration between Bollywood stalwarts Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Alia Bhatt. But it seems that there was another project, almost two decades ago, where the two had crossed paths.

Bhatt and Bhansali had recently attended the Berlin International Film Festival, where Gangubai Kathiawadi had its world premiere. In a video from the festival, Bhatt narrated the story of how she had auditioned for a role in Bhansali's 2005 film, Black, which starred Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan in lead roles.

Bhatt said she was nine years old at the time and that she had done a ‘terrible’ job at the audition and didn’t get the part. But Bhansali saw the ‘fire’ in her eyes and comforted the young star, saying he predicts that Bhatt will become a big heroine someday. The actress said that it was her goal in life since then to work towards becoming a part of the project, helmed by the prolific filmmaker. Bhatt also mentioned how the filmmaker still remembers their interaction, even though it took place almost two decades ago.

Bhatt also talked about the story in an Instagram interaction she had with Shreya Ghoshal about how Bhansali had said, in reference to nine-year-old Bhatt, that she was not a child actor, but a heroine already.

In addition to Bhatt, the upcoming film also features Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa and Ajay Devgn. The upcoming film is based on a chapter of the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, written by S. Hussain Zaidi.

Gangubai Kathiawadi will release in theatres on February 25, 2022.