Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; February 13, 2014)

Even as Gulaab Gang gears up for release on March 7, it is being said that the film is based on Sampat Pal’s life, which has already been captured in the documentary, Gulabi Gang.

However, Soumik Sen, director of Gulaab Gang, denies this. “The film is not inspired from any real- life story as it is a work of fiction. So the question of giving credit to anyone doesn’t arise,” he says.

On the other hand, Gulabi Gang leader Sampat Pal tells HitList that she has seen the film’s promos. “How can the makers say that their film is a work of fiction? It’s our story and Madhuri Dixit is playing me in the film. If it is not my story, I want to ask them which other women’s gang do they know of in the country? Why don’t they just accept that their film takes inspiration from my life and take my permission to show it? I would have no issues with them then,” says Pal, who has already filed a case against the makers of Gulaab Gang in the Delhi High Court.

Sohum Shah, who is releasing a documentary on the Gulabi Gang, says that no comparisons should be drawn between the two. “Gulabi Gang’s release date was decided by PVR; we did not choose this date. Besides, one is a documentary and the other is a work of fiction,” he says.

In the meanwhile, the documentary has received support from the right corners. A source says, “Kiran Rao is hosting a screening of Gulabi Gang on Thursday night and Aamir’s friends Prasoon Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Ayan Mukerji are expected to attend the same.”