People should expect unexpected from me: Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri Dixit Nene says she does not believe in adhering to ageist stereotypes and will choose roles which give her the opportunity to do the “unexpected”.

The veteran star, who established herself as a versatile performer with movies like Ram Lakhan, Tezaab, Dil, Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!, Mrityudand, Pukar, Devdas.

In 2007, she returned with Aaja Nachle and then again took a break only to return to the silver screen in 2014 with powerful roles in Dedh Ishqiya and Gulaab Gang.

“I have never adhered to… like now that I am a wife or mother of two kids so I have to play only those kind of roles. Just because I am a wife and a mother so I should do only those kind of roles. I don’t believe in that.

“I believe in doing something different, something that breaks the stereotype. So I did Dedh Ishqiya, Gulab Gang, Bucket List and Total Dhamaal. These films put me in a different light. People should expect that I will do something unexpected on screen,” Madhuri told PTI in an interview.

She dominated the ’90s as a Bollywood leading lady and after shifting her base back to Mumbai from Denver, US, she is here to stay.

She’s been a superstar, a dance diva, the leading heroine in Bollywood and she’s also the coolest mom in B-town.  “Khiladi 786” director Ashish R. Mohan feels that actress Madhuri Dixit has redefined the term ‘heroine’. Mohan feels Madhuri is yet to deliver her best, and when it happens he hopes to direct the project.

“Madhuri Dixit has pushed the envelope and redefined the term ‘heroine’,” said Ashish.

“Madhuri shines to differ because of her spell-bounding grace spread across her beauty, acting and dancing. You cannot blink an eye when she is on the screen. I’ve grown up watching her. The man I see in the mirror has changed drastically but she still remains as pious and beautiful as she was back then,” he added.

Highlighting some of the best characters of Madhuri, he shared: “Pooja from ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ is often considered as one of her best performances. No doubt! But I feel best is yet to come and I hope I get to direct it.”

Meanwhile, Ashish is making best use of his quarantine time by watching movies on television.

“I am an avid cinema lover. Back in the nineties, we had those small TV sets, and watching a movie in a theatre was a luxury. I am used to watching movies on Sony MAX with my entire family,” he said.

However, he feels that the easy access of streaming sites is a boon considering the present scenario where one can revisit these films anytime.

On the work front, Ashish is working on a family-based web show set in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh which is also his birth place.

One word that can easily define Madhuri Dixit Nene’s style is ‘timeless’. Any Bollywood enthusiast will tell you that the actor’s roster of saris, worn for casual and festive occasions, is both classic and versatile. Her discerning eye for the staple sees her pulling off timeless weaves just as easily as fuss-free floral options.

Madhuri Dixit got married to Dr. Shriram Nene in 1999 in a traditional ceremony at her brother’s residence in South California. She had her first son, Arin in 2003 and second son, Ryan in 2005. She moved back from Colorado to Mumbai in 2011 and has been here ever since.

The actress, though constantly working on reality TV shows and shooting for films, has maintained the perfect balance in her personal and professional space. Whenever she’s not working, she’s either spending quality time with her children, practising kathak with her elder son or simply taking vacations with the family.

Bollywood could not get enough of Madhuri Dixit in the 1990s and early 2000s. Now, one look at her Instagram can tell us exactly why. In lockdown, Madhuri doesn’t seem to be at a loss for ways to spend her time. Name it, and she’s doing it—cooking, reading, dancing, spending time with family, working out. But best of all, she’s brushing up on her Kathak skills plus sharing beautiful #throwback posts for her fans. An inspiration for all of us.

As the actress turns 53, and continues to look as graceful as ever, we explore her personal realm. Scroll through for some lovely family pictures of the diva with her husband and sons over the years.