GULAAB GANG

LIFE AND TIMES OF A MISFIT: GULAAB GANG: The film marks the coming together of the two finest actresses of Indian cinema; Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla. Each a phenomenon in their ...

GULAAB GANG

The film marks the coming together of the two finest actresses of Indian cinema; Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla. Each a phenomenon in their own right. If we look back at the career of both these actresses, we will notice that Madhuri has clearly been the better and more successful actress of the two. So I am glad that for once Juhi has out shined Madhuri. I am talking about the performances in the film Gulaab Gang. Both of them have done exceptionally well but it's Juhi who takes the cake. As a cold, heartless and scheming politician she exuded pure evilness. She got every mood and nuances of her character bang on. I personally was stunned to see that level of brilliance in her performance. She was always this bubbly, sweet, girl next door kinda actress, an image which she had carefully maintained even after her marriage. I guess things are about to change for her now. Film makers are getting more subject oriented and actors getting more performance oriented. An actor's age is just a number now-a-days. Otherwise a film like this would never have been made. The director Soumik Sen took the brave initiative to cast two actresses in leading roles, who are way past their prime in terms of age and looks, but not in terms of talent. The gamble paid off but it seems the director forgot to pay any attention to the film as a whole. The story is inspired from real life events but at times it becomes too imaginary and impossible to believe as per the circumstances shown in the film. The attempt is praiseworthy but the execution is what brings down the film. Too many songs and dancing adds to the misery, and not a single song is pleasing to the ears. Tannistha Chatterjee appears in a small role which doesn't give her enough scope to show her talent.