Ever since the trailer of Alia Bhatt's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' came out, the character of Vijay Raaz as a trans woman became a talking point among fans. While some people were glad to see a skilled actor taking up a complicated role, there were some who criticised makers for casting a male actor in a transgender role.

During a recent interview with Deadline, Alia was asked to comment on the issue and in response, she defended Vijay's casting. The actress stated, "I have heard this conversation various times for different films. While I do understand where they’re coming from, I feel like it’s up to the director and their vision. It’s not there to offend anyone, maybe the director found it interesting to have an actor like Vijay Raaz, who identifies as male, play a trans character. The audience has never seen him that way, you see the actor and the ability to transform within that person. I think that’s a better perspective, but I do understand where people are coming from."

Talking about her own character of a sex worker, Alia said, "It’s not that sex workers haven’t been in our cinema in the past. It’s not the most commercial subject, but there have been films made on this subject. I think if you give the audience a really good character, where they come from or who they are becomes secondary. I wasn’t reluctant at all, at the heart of this film are a lot of powerful social points. It’s an underdog story, a story of struggle. Wherever you come from, I think everyone can connect to a story of rising from struggle.”