Gulaab Gang

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Divya Jagdale, Priyanka Bose, Lata S Singh, Vinitha Menon, Rani Patel, Tanvi Rao

Genre: Action, Drama

Direction: Soumik Sen

Production: Anubhav Sinha, Alumbra Entertainment, Abhinav Deo

Story: Soumik Sen, Anubhav Sinha

Screenplay : Soumik Sen, Amitosh Nagpal

Cinematographer: Alphonse Roy

Music: Soumik Sen

Editing : Cheragh Todiwala

Distribution: Sahara Movie Studios

Release Date: 7^th March, 2014

Language: Hindi

Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Rating: 3.5 /5 (Good+)

Gulaab Gang excels as a movie with empowered women in the lead. Movie is inspired from the life story of Ms. Sampal Lal Devi (original Gulaabi Gang leader - a social worker currently at village Badausa in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, an ex Big-Boss contestant as well).

The movie begins with the narration of Anil Kapoor introducing the Madhopur village and the Gulaabi Gurukul. Lot of social issues faced by rural women are dealt in the movie right from the very beginning of the movie viz. depriving girls of the education rights, domestic violence, rape etc.

Madhuri Dixit as Rajjo is running her Gulaabi Gurukul, where she teaches small girls alphabets and also prepares young girls for self-defense wielding lathis. They weave their own pink sarees. The whole 70mm screen turns pink when they move in a group. Certain rare moments with great finesse:  to see them fearlessly detaining a corrupt government official within the walls of the office to fetch the electricity connection back in their village; to see wielding lathis and recovering the truck loaded with stolen grains; twisting the hand of the man who physically abused his wife; punishing the guy who raped a young teenage girl… let me not reveal the complete list.

Juhi Chawla as politician Sumitra Devi, in her very first villainous character is very convincing. She only values power, time and money and is a very self-centered politician. She actually raises a feeling of hatred towards her character in the movie.

The supporting cast Divya Jagdale,  Tannishtha Chatterjee, Priyanka Bose, Lata S Singh, Vinitha Menon, Rani Patel, Tanvi Rao are all good and convincing as Gulaab Gang members.

The director Saumik Sen has portrayed Gulaab gang in an excellent manner. The best catch of the movie is at the end when he sings ‘Jai Ho’ as a tribute to different empowered women who made difference to the society in their own ways. I wish, Sampat Lal should have also been shown along with them.

Music by Saumik Sen is as per the tone of movie. Madhuri Dixit has given voice to a song Rangi Saari Gulaabi.

Gulaab Gang, a perfect treat on the eve of International Women’s Day.