Gul Panag’s girl gang

If the director of a woman-oriented film is also a female and she gets along with the leading lady as well, the rest of the crew better gear up for some drama on the sets. And for once, we’re not talking catfights here.

When debutante director Alankrita Srivastava and the protagonist of her film Gul Panag got along famously on the sets, the guys on the sets were bored listening to both the ladies indulge in girlie talk, mostly debating on the dilemmas faced by a 30-year-old woman. So, did the crew witness any volatile arguments over the portrayal of a 30-year-old, the theme of Alankrita’s film?

“Luckily, Gul and I hit it off right from the start. We had discussions more than arguments on the sets. And yes, the boys were thoroughly bored each time we sat down to have another of our girlie sessions. They had no option but to listen. Soon they gave up and got used to it,” laughs Alankrita adding that the girl gang had a lot of fun and would often pull actor Purab Kohli’s leg during shoots.

Ask Alankrita if garnering support for woman-centric films is indeed as difficult as it is made out to be and she says, “I had it good. In fact, even I was surprised when I didn’t face any resistance from Prakashji (Jha), even though he belongs to the old school of film-makers. He just told me to follow my instincts,” she says.

So, does Alankrita’s have a favourite actor in her 30s? After a longish pause, she says, “Gul of course, but Vidya Balan is an absolute favourite too. I also adore Dimple Kapadia. I think she looks more stunning each year.”