Juhi Chawla plays a negative role in Gulaab Gang. In a candid chat with Iknoor Kaur, she clears the air about her past insecurities vis-a-vis Madhuri Dixit
Be it her mischievous smile in Ishq, her laughter in Duplicate, her courage in Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani or her love in My Brother Nikhil, Juhi Chawla has been synonymous to the bubbly girl next door who wins heart with a broad smile and the twinkle in eyes. But that twinkle may have just vanished with her forthcoming film Gulaab Gang where Juhi exposes all her grey shades. However, she claims to be as shocked as everyone else by her capability to play a negative character. “The initial shock that I got when the producers showed me the script was, ‘you really want me to do this roleIJ’ I had done something like this in Arjun Pandit, but that was it. All those clichéd lines of mujhe kuch alag karna hai flashed in my head when I was accepting this. However, I was very positive after I got over all the hurdles in my head of which one of them was that I was playing the villain and in the end the villain does lose. Achayi ki hi jeet hoti hai. So I had to tell myself not to take it personally because in the end Madhuri’s character is the hero,” said the actress who was in town to promote the ‘Exchange for Change’ initiative by Routes to Roots. The initiative focuses on bridging the gap between India and Pakistan through the communication of children.
Gulaab Gang will see Juhi and Madhuri share screen space for the first time. According to the former, egos and insecurities came in the way when both the actresses were at the top of the game. She shared, “I think at that time we were working against each other. It was always like ‘she’s doing that, so I cant do it’. Egos, rivalries and insecurities came in the way, my insecurities of course because I can’t speak for her. Once or twice I was offered something with her but I didn’t want to play the second lead or be in a film with her. But this was different because now, we are past that stage. We don’t have to prove anything to each other or anybody else.”
In addition she said that if not for Madhuri she would have probably not chosen the script. “This was just such a fiery script and I truly felt that since the two of us are in it, there is spark. So it is because Madhuri that I accepted the film,” she explained.
After playing such a role, Juhi feels that she may not be able to go back to doing her old bubbly roles. She elaborated, “I’m suddenly feeling that if I have to play that cute bubbly character again I will think, ‘Yeh kya haiIJ Nobody is going to be excited if I just do this.’ But I’m hoping that I get something in the future that is as exciting and meaty as this.”
With more women-oriented films being made, one may feel that the industry is moving a step ahead, but Juhi feels otherwise. “I am an insider and know that it wasn’t easy for my producer or his team to put this film forward. They went with a certain conviction that the script is right and the casting is right but being female oriented, when they went to sell the film, distributors said, ‘Okay, Madhuri, Juhi, andIJ Koi nahiIJ You must be joking,’ and they weren’t very welcoming of them in terms of offering them funds. So it has been a struggle to put this film forward. But if becomes a success, it will prove that the industry is changing,” she said.
Juhi will also be making an appearance in a Hollywood film by lasse Hallström called The Hundred-Foot Journey. “I just played a small part in the Indian version of the film. I only did it for the experience — huge production, known director — it was worth a shot and I loved it,” she summed up.