Gulabi Gang leader Sampat Pal is in a belligerent mood.
Ever since the 65-year-old activist came to know that a film based on her life is being made with actress Madhuri Dixit playing her role, she has been hopping mad and now plans to seek an injunction from court against the film.
“Neither the film’s producer (Anubhav Sinha) nor Madhuri Dixit have contacted me or sought my permission to make a film on my life. I am going to file a case against Madhuri Dixit and seek a ban on the film,” she said on phone from Banda.
A few years ago, another film producer had planned to make a film on the life of Sampat Pal who is the founder president of the Gulabi Gang, a group of women vigilantes all dressed in pink saris that operates in the Bundelkhand region.
“He shelved the movie when I threatened him with legal action,” she said.
The proposed film, being produced by Anubhav Sinha on Sampat Pal’s life, is titled “Gulab Gang” and though the filmmaker admits that it is inspired by “something that happened in Uttar Pradesh”.
Mr Sinha insists it is not based on the life of anyone in particular.
Sources said that “Gulab Gang” is a story of a gang of women fighting against social injustice, which is exactly what Sampat Pal’s Gulabi Gang does.
According to sources, there are about six female characters in the film of which Madhuri Dixit has already been signed on.
The film does not follow Sampat Pal’s life and takes ample cinematic licence and this is exactly what is bothering the Gulabi Gang leader.
“What if they show me dancing around trees or committing murders? I cannot allow any film producer to malign or distort my image like this,” said Sampat Pal.
The proposed movie “Gulab Gang”, meanwhile, will go on floors after monsoon and is expected to be released on March 8 — Women’s Day — next year.