Alia Bhatt's Emotional Journey from Inshallah's Shelving to Gangubai's Triumph

As of October 2025, the collaboration between Alia Bhatt and acclaimed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been a rollercoaster of emotions. The two were initially set to work together on the film Inshallah, which was to feature Alia opposite Salman Khan. However, the project was shelved due to creative differences between Bhansali and Khan.

This sudden change left Alia Bhatt deeply upset. According to Bhansali, Alia "broke down, she cracked up, she cried, raved, ranted, and locked herself in a room" after the news of Inshallah's shelving. But Bhansali did not give up on Alia. He called her a week later and offered her the lead role in his next film, Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Alia was initially hesitant, as the character of Gangubai, a brothel madame, was vastly different from the role she was supposed to play in Inshallah. However, Bhansali's belief in her abilities and his guidance helped Alia transform into the powerful Gangubai. The film, released earlier this year, was a critical and commercial success, earning Alia a National Award for Best Actress.

Bhansali's unwavering support and Alia's dedication have resulted in a career-defining collaboration. The duo's next project, Love and War, is eagerly anticipated by fans and is set to hit theaters in 2026.