Gulab Gang trailer out: Villain Juhi steals hero Madhuri's thunder

For a generation of Indian women, who as five-year-olds had given the mothers mini heart attacks trying to butt shake to Ek Do Teen or had whined for cholis with a gaping window for a back the year Hum Aapke Hain Koun hit the screens, Yash Raj Films’ Aaja Nachle was not what they had imagined Madhuri Dixit’s comeback film to be like. Yes, she danced like a dream, but shrouded in YRF’s cosmetic gloss, Madhuri in her official comeback film, was hardly like the warm breath on a winter evening that we had come to associate her with. And then Dedh Ishqiya happened and we can now safely say that Madhuri Dixit - she of fire, spice and such things nice - has been finally resurrected in Bollywood. So Soumik Sen’s Gulab Gang, where Madhuri essays the lead role is expected to blow you off your mind. With the trailer hitting the internet, you have to say that Madhuri doesn’t disappoint. She is evidently in a turf she is sort of familiar with - playing the spitfire village toughie, who spews sarcasm, can shake a leg better than any professional choreographer and can do a Salman Khan with her slaps. [caption id=“attachment_1332931” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A still from the trailer. Image courtesy: YouTube[/caption] The story of Gulab Gang _is reportedly based on the life of Sampat Pal Devi, a self trained activist from Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh who was married off as a child and then grew up to fight social evils like dowry, child marriage, domestic violence in the villages of UP. In course of time, many women joined her and now she has a force of over 10,000 women who are are called the Gulabi Gang.  A few years back, with some help from a French NGO, Sampat’s fight came into the limelight leading to media coverage and a documentary filmed on her. Consequently, Devi was invited to be a part of the Bigg Boss house - a decision she fiercely defended saying that she wanted her message to reach a  greater number of people and on winning she would use the prize money for her organisation. Around the same time, she raised objections about Sen’s script and said that she was not unhappy with it. The controversy, however, died out soon after, as did Sampat’s stint with the limelight. What remained, however, was Sen’s ambitious film starring Dixit as a character based on Sampat. In the trailer, like we had assumed, Dixit kicks ass. She is shown wielding a baton with a ferocity normally associated with Salman Khan or Akshay Kumar. She is seen flinging men with one effortless slap. She is seen beating up men. Evidently, Sampat’s story has been adapted to suit the requirements of a Bollywood entertainer. Likewise, Dixit is also seen dancing (we are not complaining one bit about that though!). However, what is probably the most refreshing and interesting bit in the trailer is its villain - Juhi Chawla. Yes, you heard right. Juhi is indeed who Madhuri is pitted against in the film. And oh boy, isn’t she delicious as the soft spoken, nearly-adorable, baby voiced woman whose smile is pure evil gold! Juhi seems to be playing the part of a politician who takes on Rajjo (Madhuri) and embarks on an insidious journey to destroy the latter’s clout. When she smiles, when she is seen lost in thought still half smiling and when she speaks to her opponent through gritted teeth and a half smile, Juhi transfixes you. And that makes the film so much more interesting than anything else. Instead of a woman versus man stereotypical battle, Gulab Gang promises to be a deft exploration of feminity and the woman as an ambitious, strong, sinister, vulnerable entity. Watch trailer here:

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