Gulaab Gang releases today after HC stay lifted; Sampat Pal deserted by group

Delhi HC lifted its stay order, thereby allowing the nationwide release of Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla-starrer Gulaab Gang on March 7. The film is allegedly based on activist Sampat Pal's life. Pal has reportedly been expelled from the group after 33 years of ultimate supremacy.

The Delhi high court on Thursday cleared the nationwide release of Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla-starrer Gulaab Gang, reportedly based on the life of activist Sampat Pal, who formed the Gulabi Gang, a group of pink sari clad women vigilantes in Uttar Pradesh.

Sampat Pal has reportedly been expelled from the group, that she founded, over three decades after the group came into being.

A bench of acting chief justice BD Ahmed and justice S Mridul vacated the suspension granted by a single judge bench of the high court on Wednesday on the movie's release.

The move comes as a blow to Pal, who is also facing revolt in her outfit for supporting the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections. She stood on a Congress ticket from the Manikpur constituency in Chitrakoot district in the 2012 UP assembly polls.

The filmmakers of Gulaab Gang, set to release Friday, assured the bench that they will run a disclaimer that the movie is not based on the life of and her work.



The production house filed an appeal against the restraint order passed by a single-judge bench earlier.

WATCH: MADHURI, JUHI EXCITED FOR GULAAB GANG

The high court on Wednesday blocked the release of the film, which stars Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla, saying that if the release is allowed, it will cause irreparable damage to the reputation of Sampat Pal.

"Reputation once lost is lost forever and cannot come back and can't be compensated in monetary terms," the court observed.

Directed by debutant Soumik Sen, the film has been produced by Anubhav Sinha.

Sampat Pal moved the HC seeking restraining order on the release of Gulaab Gang, saying the filmmakers did not take her permission before making the movie, which shows her in bad light.

She alleged that the actress playing her character was shown in a bad light in the promos of the film, which will thus affect her reputation.

She also contended that the film's promos depict her as an anti-social element, contrary to her real life image.