In a candid chat, Juhi Chawla reveals what convinced her to play her first negative role and why she couldn’t have missed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Madhuri
You are playing a negative character in Gulaab Gang, which comes as a shock to many because the audience is mostly used to seeing you in lighthearted or comic roles. What was your reaction when you were first offered the role?
I was equally amazed when I first heard about it. I thought (director) Soumik Sen had lost it! When he narrated the script to me, I liked it but was unsure why he wanted to cast me in this role. I have never been offered a negative role in the past. I wondered if he had mistaken me for some other actress!
Did you agree readily?
Initially, I was apprehensive whether I could do justice to the role. Also the thought that crossed my mind was — ‘Would I be accepted in this role?’ But the director seemed very firm about his decision and stuck to his views, so I agreed.
You are also being pitted against your 1990s rival Madhuri Dixit, who is playing the conventional heroine in the film. What convinced you to go ahead with this project?
I said ‘yes’ because of two reasons — first, because Madhuri was in it and, second, because of the script, which says a lot about educating rural women so that they can fight violence and abuse.
Madhuri is a wonderful actress and so good-looking. On the first day, I told her, ‘Madhuri, we will make it rock’, and we have worked towards it.
But were you ever insecure about the length of your role vis-a-vis Madhuri’s?
Soumik put us in a room together, gave us a joint narration. We sorted out our differences and eventually, both of us said ‘yes’. I think that was a commendable act on Soumik’s part.
In the 1990s, you had refused offers from producers who wanted to cast the two big divas together.
Yes, there were times when I had the chance to work with Madhuri, but we were rivals back then and I said I will not work with her because there would be comparisons. But when this offer came, I couldn’t say ‘no’. Thanks to Soumik, he managed to break the ice between us.

What are your thoughts of your competition with Madhuri today?
All the rivalry is under the bridge. I knew what I was entering into before accepting this role — Madhuri has all the dialogue-baazi, fights, action scenes and dances but I am like the mirch-namak in the film which lends it a certain strength.

I am so glad that I am playing a villain in the film. So you can’t compare the two of us. I neither had to dance nor sing. All that has been done by Madhuri.
I think this film was my last chance to work with her. I don’t think we will get a chance to work together in future. The film is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.
— Itee Sharma & Anita Britto, Bollywood News Service