Despite the fact that many people doubted her, Alia Bhatt delivered a powerful performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s biographical crime drama Gangubai Kathiawadi. The actress was hailed by critics and the public at large for her portrayal of a sex worker, and the film was a box office hit.

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Alia’s acting prowess in the film astounded the audience, but very few people are aware that her mother, actress Soni Razdan, also starred in a film as a sex worker.

Mid-Day

A fan posted a video clip from the 1983 release, Mandi, on Twitter and pointed out that Alia Bhatt as Gangubai Kathiawadi bears a striking resemblance to her mother, Soni Razdan, in the film. 

When Razdan came across the post, she retweeted it too, calling it “a blast from the past.”

Meanwhile, several users agreed with the remark, noting that Bhatt looks nearly identical to her mother.

Directed by Shyam Benegal, Mandi was set in a brothel in the heart of a city that certain politicians sought for a different purpose. The film, which was based on the short novel Aanandi by writer Ghulam Abbas, had a stellar cast involving Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Neena Gupta, Ila Arun, Naseeruddin Shah, and others.