SUNDAY SPECIAL about madhur The making of a phenomenon en years ago, they would never have dared to make their feelings public. Today, however, Farooq Abdullah, T.N. Seshan, Orissa’s poet laureate Sitakanta Mohapatra and, of course, M.F. Husain can get away with publicly declaring their adoration of her. After all, what’s so special about these people? Everyone is in love with Madhuri Dixit. She is almost a national obsession, a constant fixture with the media. And her www.rohininilekani.org www.rohininilekani.org SUNDAY SPECIAL perfect everything," says Anna Singh. There was not much to perfect, she adds, because Madhuri is BEHIND THE SCENES such a beautiful woman. "We started the transition with Beta, then we did Dil Tera Aashiq. People began to The people who’ve created the Madhuri magic appreciate her new look. And then Rakesh Nath: ten years with Madhuri SaroJ Khan: "The sky’s the limit" Anna Sin^:di Rikku is all praise for Madhuri. "It is came the best. HAHK broke all ^akesh f\ath very difficult for me to work with records as far as costumes were her. You know why? Because she is concerned." ■ Madhuri’s secretary. Or manager, such a nice person. We all have to be Anna’s strategy with Madhuri is if you prefer. He doesn’t mind what extra careful about her. She doesn’t very clear. The key word is you call him. No one meets Madhuri complain. She doesn’t demand simplicity. "Most of our senior without making an appointment anything." actresses have had a penchant for lots through him. Rakesh Nath, better of jewellery, lots of heavy clothes. known as Rikku, has worked with A n n a S in g h With Madhuri, we give her just Madhuri for more than ten years. He enough accessories to complement says he had not seen any of ■ One ofMadhuri’s two dress her, not burden her. Madhuri has an Madhuri’s films when he agreed to designers (the other one is exquisitely beautiful face. We just work for her. "I just liked her face," Kashmira). Anna Singh, who owns a have to let it be." he explains. boutique in Juhu, Bombay, has Anna Singh is all praise for Today, Madhuri and Rakesh Nath worked with Madhuri for many years Madhuri’s professionalism. She have a comfortable working now, but not on an exclusive basis. cites the instance of the film, relationship. So much so that Rikku Even today, she also designs for Rajkumar, where the actress had to is now the producer of a film being other stars like Pooja Bhatt and wear a heavy Malaysian-style directed by his wife, Reema (a Jackie Shroff. headdress for three days and dance. successful script-writer of films like Earlier, there wasn’t much of a She did not complain once. Dil Tera Aashiq and Yaarana) need to devote too much energy on named Mohabbat, starring Madhuri. Madhuri. But once she started to get ^aroj K h an People have accused Rikku of using noticed for her talent, her vivacity on his influence to get Madhuri to star in screen, it was a different story. ■ Imagine Madhuri without her the film. But Madhuri claims that it People began to say that Madhuri dances. No Ek, do, teen. No Choli ke was one of the few scripts that had no dress sense and was not peechey. No Mera piya gharaaya. excited her the most. bothering enough about her Luckily, with Saroj Khan around, How does it feel to be the secretary wardrobe. you don’t have to imagine any such of Bollywood’s number one star? "That’s when we went all out to thing. This versatile choreographer 38 SUNDAY 28 Januaty—3 Febatary 1996 www.rohininilekani.org SUNDAY SPECIAL fans include not just countless men, but of Hindi cinema. If audiences are at women as well. Of all ages and from all last flocking back to cinema halls, it is has played a major role in Madhuri’s because of the songs and dances. Also, success. And she revels in the walks of life. Everyone seems to be bit­ ten by the Madhuri bug. It is a sign, both television and commercial cinema have knowledge that she and Madhuri of our more liberal times and her unique become symbiotic, each feeding the make a great team. A choreographer personality that Madhuri has managed other and creating a large resurgent mar­ must take into account the to single-handedly extend the bounda­ ket for Hindi films. In such a scenario, performer’s own limitations while ries of resf)ectability. From Ek do teen to Madhuri is quite naturally in her ele­ composing a dance sequence. "With Akhiya milaon, Ms Dixit has helped dif­ ments. She has been learning to sing and fuse the line between vulgarity and dance (Kathak) since she was three decency. Today, fond mothers are years old. It is her dancing that shot her actually encouraging their kids to swing to fame, and judging by current trends, it their hips to the tune of Mera piya ghar is her dancing that will keep her on top. __J- aaya, a song that could have been per­ To follow Madhuri at work is to fectly obscene but for the innocence on watch the transformation of a beautiful Madhuri’s face. but simple woman into a stunning, Here is an ordinary Brahmin girl, who vivacious superstar. Utter the words like Hema Malini before her, has ‘camera, action’ and Madhuri will brought middle-class family values into switch on her dazzling smile (if the shot: the film industry. Focusing exclusively calls for it) and the appeal in her eyes. on her work, she has risen steadily up the You can tell that Madhuri enjoys her per­ charts for ten years, hitting a new formance, especially her dancing. That industry high with Hum Aapke Main is why she appears natural, not contrived Koun (HAHK). She has had the boon of in each sequence. Her body, so quiet in satellite television which gave her image an arching forklift, bringing her face into the drawing room almost every day. If that brings with it the dangers of over-exposure, it also allows Madhuri the advantage of reminding viewers con­ stantly that she is one of them, the girl {h: droMing the superstar next door. Madhuri," says Saroj Khan, "the sky’s the limit." She says Madhuri performs knee movements which are But why is Madhuri such a rave? Is the most difficult, with great ease and it because of her talent, her great perso­ without any precautions like nality? Is she anything more than the knee-caps. According to Saroj, one sum of her lips and hips? The answer of Madhuri’s best performances is is: no. There’s nothing the climax song of Yaarana, Jaane particularly sparkling, woh kaisa chor tha. "She did the frothy, enchanting or whole mukhda in one shot, which is vivacious about Madhuri really difficult," says Saroj. That’s Dixit, the person. And it the kind of Madhuri magic which has is precisely this that con­ helped Saroj to bring home four tributes to the Madhuri Filmfare trophies. magic. You expect a star. Saroj Khan’s strategy for Madhuri You get a woman. An in forthcoming films; no more jhatka Indian woman. Sensible, movem'ents. Saroj Khan wants to reserved, conservative, ring in the old in 1996. "I am heading reasonably well-' towards the graceful movements of informed. You get a pro­ old Hindi film songs," says Saroj. fessional actress. Com­ "Like Aayiye meherban and Shola jo mitted to her job. Perhaps bhadke. There’s a lot of body like any other working language, a lot of hip movement and girl. I’m looking for that." Saroj has Madhuri, like Madhu- experimented with a more malleable bala before her, happens Madhuri in Mohabbat, and the to be in the industry at the audience will soon let the right time. Today, it is choreographer know whether her music more than strategy will work in the new year. anything else that’s pro­ pelling the fortunes SUNDAY28 January—3 February 1996 www.rohininilekani.org SUNDAY SPECIAL except for a couple of films like Anjaam, where she plays an avenging angel. The film flopped despite the Shah Rukh THE RACE TO THE TOP Khan-Madhuri combine. And with good reason. "What I’ve done so far has not been my best," Madhuri admits. So, she is much more choosy now about her scripts. Where she used to do 10-15 films a year, she is now doing a maxi­ mum of five to six. And some good projects have come her way. She is particularly excited about Chimpoo Kapoor’s upcoming Prem Granth. It’s the story of a rape vic­ tim. "It has a very large canvas," she says. "The character is very strong, the film deals with how she faces all of society. It has a lot of scope for perfor­ mance." Another Madhuri-starrer expec­ ■ Sridevi, the last uncontested number one heroine, has, by now, ted in 1996 is Mrityudand, again a film burnt herself out. Juhi Chawia has to be content with remaining in the dealing with a woman. Both these top five bracket. Meenakshi Seshadri has long since given up. movies are going to be quite risky for Manisha Koirala came a very close second with Bombay, but Akele Madhuri’s career. Although she has Hum Akele Turn has dipped her chances in the sweepstakes for now. made forays into offbeat cinema with Prahaar and Dharavi, it was a long time ago.