Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s foray into production with Gulab Gang, which stars Madhuri Dixit, just got bigger. After months of hunting for the right actor to play the role of the antagonist, Anubhav has roped in Juhi Chawla for the part of the chief minister. Incidentally, this is the first time Madhuri and Juhi, who were rivals in the ’90s, will come together in a film.

Confirming the news, Anubhav says, “The film is about two very iconic characters. And what can be better than getting Madhuri and Juhi in the same frame?”

Before Juhi was cast, rumours had it that Anubhav and director Soumit Sen were considering actors Vidya Balan, Rani Mukerji and Tabu for the part. But Sinha refutes the rumours.

“All these names have been imagined by the media. It took us a long time to figure out who we wanted, and when we thought of Juhi, it seemed perfect,” says the RA.One (2011) director.

Ask him what Madhuri thought of his casting decision and he says, “She’s happy. Soumit has woven a Bollywood masala potboiler into the subject. The film has a lot of action and violence.”

Rumoured to be based on a group of Indian women vigilantes called Gulabi Gang from Uttar Pradesh, the film’s first three-week-long shooting schedule will begin in December. It will be partly shot in Mumbai and Wai in Maharashtra. The makers are yet to finalise a location in north India, where the film will be shot in March.