'Gulaab Gang is a masala potboiler, not about women's emancipation'

Gulaab Gang director Soumik Sen does not want to talk about Sampat Pal or her Gulabi Gang. In an interview to Hindustantimes.com, he says his film is a masala entertainer and not on women's emancipation.

His Gulaab Gang has been mired in controversy because despite sharing its name and colours with vigilante group

Gulaab-Gang-director-Soumik-Sen-poses-with-Madhuri-Dixit

Gulabi Gang

, run by Sampat Pal, the makers have been insisting there are 'no similarities' between the two.

Director Soumik Sen

sticks to that line as he says his

Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla

-starrer is not about women's emancipation but is an out-and-out masala entertainer.

Here are excerpts from the interview.

What is Gulaab Gang about?

Gulaab Gang is about a society where women are in power. The movie does not aspire to fight for women. It a

masala

potboiler, only both the protagonist and antagonist are women.

Where did the idea for the film come from?

There are a lot of groups working for the betterment of women across the world. I have immense respect for them. My film, however, is not on women empowerment.

Does Sampat Pal figure in those groups?

Is this an interview about Sampat Pal? Next question, please.

How was it working with superstar Madhuri Dixit in your first film?

It was very good experience. Madhuri never let me feel that I was a first-time director.

How did you convince the gorgeous Madhuri to play a de-glam role?

I did not, the script did. Once she heard the script, there were no such apprehensions on her part.

Going by the promos, you have used a subtle version of rural abuses. Things like '

chappal faad ke'

convey the abuse, only to people who already know those. Why did you stay shy of using the original words, if at all you had to use abuses?

There is not a single cuss word in the movie. It is my belief that you can be powerful and show it without using very colourful language.

Do you have any apprehensions about the performance of Gulaaab Gang, especially because Madhuri's elegant avatar in Dedh Ishqiya didn't really work at the box office?

No, I do not have any apprehensions. I know it is a piece of work that I made with my heart and I hope people love it. As for the box office, some films are just not meant for box office. Just like

Dedh Ishqiya

wasn't.