They have been Bollywood contemporaries since the 1990s but Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla have only come together now for "Gulaab Gang". Juhi says Madhuri's presence in the movie was a big draw for her towards the project.
"I did this film because Madhuri was there. I really did it because (I thought that) with this script, it will be amazing if we do it together. I remember saying to her on the first day that 'Madhuri, we will make it rock', and we have," Juhi said here at the launch of the song "Dheemi gati" from "Gulaab Gang" Friday.
What kept them away from working together for so long?
"I would say that earlier there were a few chances when we could have worked together, but at that time I didn't do the film because Madhuri was there in the films. I thought if she is there, then what would I do? Comparisons were bound to happen, so to avoid all that tension, I didn't do those films," she said.
However, now she is not worried.
"I am so glad that I am playing a villain in the film. So you can't compare the two of us. I neither had to dance nor sing. All that has been done by Madhuri," said Juhi, who essays a politician in the film.
Slated to release March 7, "Gulaab Gang" is inspired by a group of women activists in the Bundelkhand region and talks about women empowerment.