Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri Dixit’s allure lies in her classic good looks and poise. The much sought after actress was the muse of artist M.F.Hussain and is tagged as an outstanding dancer adding that extra bit of spice to the film screens.

Madhuri Shankar Dixit was born on 15th May 1967 into a Marathi Brahmin family in Mumbai, India. Her parents are Shankar and Snehalata Dixit. She is the youngest of four children. She has two older sisters Rupa and Bharati and an older brother Ajit.

Madhuri studied at the Parle College and considered a future in micro-biology. She also trained in Kathak for over eight years.

She was linked with actor Sanjay Dutt before she married Sriram Madhav Nene, a surgeon based in the USA in 1999. They have two sons, Arin born in 2003 and Ryan in 2005. The family lives in Denver, Colorado.

The Government of India conferred Madhuri the Padma Shri Award, the highest civilian award in 2008.

Queen of Hearts

It took Madhuri Dixit a little over three years before she shot to fame. Madhuri’s first movie was Abodh in 1984 and after a few forgettable performances, she appeared in Dayavan. Tezaab with Anil Kapoor became a box office hit and she followed this with performances in Ram Lakhan, Prem Prathiyaga, Tridev and Parinda which became India’s official entry to the Oscars. Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor enjoyed a successful chemistry on screen and worked together in many movies.

1990 to 1995 Madhuri won the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1990 for her role as Madhu in Indra Kumar’s Dil opposite Aamir Khan. Saajan, a love triangle, starring Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt did good business in 1991. She starred with Anil Kapoor in 1992 in movies like Khel, Zindagi Ek Jua and Beta. One of Madhuri’s most famous dance sequences Dhak Dhak Karne Laga was from Beta. She won another Filmfare Best Actress Award.

In 1993, Khalnayak with Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff was a blockbuster while her dance sequence Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai created ripples as she sets off to trap the criminal Ballu. If Anjaam with Shah Rukh Khan in 1994 failed to do well, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun with Salman Khan broke records and added another feather, a rather bright one, in her cap. She won her third Filmfare Best Actress Award. She had two releases in 1995, Raja and Yaarana.

Madhuri’s success rate tapered until the 1997 release Yash Chopra’s Dil to Paagal Hai as Pooja, a dancer. In 2000, she faced Anil Kapoor once again in Rajkumar Santoshi’s Pukar as Anjali who wreaks havoc in the life of Major Jaidev Rajvansh. She was also seen in M.F.Hussain’s Gaja Gamini. The movie famously inspired by her, explores the different facets of a woman.

In 2001, she played Jhanki in Lajja that centered around strong female characters. In Devdas, a much anticipated release in 2002, Madhuri donned the role of a courtesan Chandramukhi whose love for Devdas doesn’t save him. Her portrayal of the courtesan won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.

She moved away from Bollywood for five years and returned back in Aaja Nachle in 2007 as Dia who is trying to bring the Ajanta Theater back on to its feet. The movie didn’t earned as expected.