Film Review - Gulaab Gang

                                   

Not In The Pink Of Spirits

Film: Gulaab Gang

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Tannishtha Chatterjee

Directed by: Soumik Sen
Duration: 2 hrs 15 mins
Rating: * *

Even though they claim that it is not, the film is obviously inspired by Sampat Pal and her real life vigilante group called the Gulabi gang from North India. Now with a story like that and a cast that comprises of two highly loved and respected actresses you would expect fireworks. But alas, this venture by Soumik Sen is a damp squib. If you want to know anything about Pal or the Gulabi gang, check out Nishtha Jain’s documentary that released recently.

The screenplay is so dull here that if you replace the two main ladies with men, you will get a film that you have seen a million times before, I can even envisage Prakash Raj as the villain in it. Madhuri Dixit plays Rajjo, who has a stronghold in the village. She even has her own gang of women who can wield the stick, axe and the sickle. Her confidantes include a woman deserted by her husband (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and a feisty fearless woman (Divya Jagdale). And needless to add, they all wear pink sarees.

When she is not busy settling scores with thugs, she runs a school to teach children. Enter the villain of the piece, a cunning and shrewd politician Sumitra (Chawla) and hell hath no fury like Sumitra being called by her first name. Not only should she be addressed as ‘madam’ everyone is also expected to bow down in front of her.

The two women are at loggerheads, they even contest an election and it is all really the been-there-seen-that variety.

Madhuri Dixit and the other ladies get to kick ass but when you see her running like Krissh in slow motion you know the dramatization is too overt. And if that is not enough, all the singing and dancing is bound to put you off. Surprisingly, even the acting from the seasoned actor is not consistent, which is the least you would expect.

Published in The Navhind Times on 9th Mar 2014

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