Madhuri Dixit should have taken permission, says Sampat Pal

Sampat Pal, the leader of the original ‘Gulabi Gang’ of Bundelkhand is quite miffed with the makers of Gulab Gang as they have not sought her permission before making a film based on her life. “Madhuri ko permission zaroor leni chahiye thi,” she says, “Kisi ki kahani chura lena, yeh naari sashaktikaran ke liye koi achhi baat hai?”

Pal also feels that the character played by Madhuri should have been named Sampat not Rajjo. “Bahut achchi kahani banti tab,” a fictional story based on the ‘Gulabi Gang’ will do more damage to their cause than good. Pal believes that the documentary based on her life, titled Gulabi Gang, which is all set for a theatrical release in India, will create some awareness about the gender issues they fight against.

Pal is also miffed that while the Madhuri Dixit-Juhi Chawla starrer is already being talked about, a documentary, no matter how accurate or well made, will never garner the same attention in India. “Log documentary ko importance nahi de rahey hain,” she says, “Yahan documentary ko koi tawajjo nahi dete hain. Jo sachchi kahaani hai usko funds bhi nahi milte! Norway mein logon ne usko khoob pasand kiya.”