Madhuri Dixit’s Gulab Gang is growing. First she was recruited as the leader of the gang of pink-saree-clad crusaders. Now we hear Tannishta Chatterjee, the award-winning actress from the British film Brick Lane who lately shared screen space with Jude Law and Keira Knightley in Anna Karenina, has joined the gang…literally. Tannishta plays Madhuri’s chief lieutenant. Says a source close to the project, “Casting for the film has been problematic from the day Madhuri Dixit was signed to play the main role. They couldn’t convince Tabu, Vidya Balan or Raveena Tandon to play the other main female lead of a politician. Finally Juhi Chawla agreed to play the part. Then began the hunt for other prominent members of the Gulab Gang. None of the leading actresses was willing to join Madhuri’s gang until director Soumik Sen who had seen Tannishtha’s work in Dev Benegal’s Road, Movie and Mangesh Hadawale’s Dekh Indian Circus offered her the role of Madhuri’s chief lieutenant.” Tannishtha who lately starred in Michelle Yeo’s film on child prostitution was seen to be the correct choice for a film on women activists. However, we hear Tannishtha wasn’t keen on biting the bait. Says the source, “She read the script and loved it. It was her first mainstream Hindi offer. But her role was skimpy and sketchy. Tannishtha asked for it to be fleshed out. Apparently she told the director, ‘Madhuri is a big star and a fabulous actress. It’d be a pleasure to work with her. But I am no walkover. I should have at least a few scenes to sink my teeth into. Otherwise I am happy doing my international projects and off-mainstream films.’ The director re-wrote Tannishtha’s part before she accepted it.” We now hear that the very talented Marathi actress Divya Jagdale (last seen as the comely science teacher in Amole Gupte’s Stanley Ka Dabba) and Priyanka Bose have joined the cast of Gulab Gang as the third member of Madhuri Dixit’s gang. “The hunt is on for a 12-year old girl to play the fourth member of Madhuri’s gang. The girl has to be bright, pretty and a brilliant actress who can hold her own with Madhuri, Tannishtha and Divya,” says our source.