Bhansali Wanted Rani Mukerji for Gangubai Kathiawadi Before Alia Bhatt

In September 2025, singer and television host Aditya Narayan revealed a lesser-known detail about the early development of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's critically acclaimed film Gangubai Kathiawadi. Narayan, who previously worked as an assistant director for Bhansali, shared that the director had initially considered casting Rani Mukerji in the lead role - years before the film was eventually made with Alia Bhatt.

Narayan explained that the opportunity came after a challenging period in his own career, when he struggled to find work following the commercial failure of his film Shaapit. During this time, Narayan got the chance to host the reality show X Factor India, where Bhansali was a judge. Encouraged by singer Sonu Nigam, Narayan expressed interest in learning filmmaking and approached Bhansali for an assistant director role.

While Bhansali was initially skeptical, he eventually involved Narayan in the creative process. During this time, Bhansali was developing two scripts - Ram-Leela and Gangubai Kathiawadi. Narayan revealed that Bhansali had once envisioned Gangubai Kathiawadi with Rani Mukerji in the lead. However, the project took a different turn, and several years later, the role went to Alia Bhatt.

When Gangubai Kathiawadi finally released in 2022, it became both a critical and commercial success. Alia Bhatt's performance as the titular character earned her the National Award for Best Actress at the 69th National Film Awards. The film, based on a chapter from Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, went on to earn Rs. 211.5 crores worldwide.