The Diva. Review on Madhuri Dixit

The Diva, the complete actress, the accomplished dancer, and the charismatic need I say more about this actress? She made her debut into films in 1984 in Aboadh, then in Swati which starred Meenakshi Sheshadri, Sharmilla Tagore and Shashi Kapoor in the lead with Madhuri as a supporting actress.A few films of hers there after flopped but with Tezaab and the "Ek Do Teen" number she became a nation favourite and followed it up with the hit Ram Lakhan for which Subash Ghai had signed her to relaunch her as a big heroine.

She was far ahead of other actresses in terms of acting, dancing and charisma when she was at the No 1 slot. She seemed to have some kind of quality that nobody else had. Since then she never looked back, big hits every year with Parinda, Dil, Saajan, Beta, Khalnayak, Raja and a film that confirmed her as box office queen Hum Aapke Hain Koun followed by Dil To Pagal Hai. She knocked Sridevi off from the top spot and won best actress award for films Dil, Beta, Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Dil To Pagal Hai.

Post Dil To Pagal Hai she had done so many roles and the expectations were so big of her that everything she starred in failed to live up to many expectations which resulted in failures like Koyla, Wajood, Prem Granth, Mohabbat, Pukar, Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke she won critical acclaim however in Praksha Jha's Mrityudand which co starred Shabana Azmi. Then she got married to a doctor in America and it was thought she would never return to films but she did with Lajja and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam. Lajja fetched her best supporting actress award and HTHS was a box office hit

She followed it up with the blockbuster Devdas for which again she won best supporting actress and created magic with the song "Maar Dala" Now, she recently performed at Filmfare and there are rumours of her making yet another film.Ek Do Teen is a masti number which is really fun. I also think she was commendable in O Ramji from Ram Lakhan "Dhak Dhak Karne Laga" and "Choli Ke Peeche" was her take on being sexy but I don’t think they were at all vulgar dances. She looked amazing of course "Didi Tera Dewar Deewana" from Hum Aapke Hain Koun is considered.

A historical moment (i.e. the bullet hitting her behind) and her dancing was again applaud worthy And Maar Dala well what can I say? She made that song what it is perfect. Do any of you guys remember the film Rajkumar with Madhuri and Anil Kapoor released in 1996? It was a Bolly version of Robin hood. It flopped but Madhuri got rave reviews for her looks and dancing. Had some lovely songs like "Payal Meri" "Bechain Hoon Main" "O Mere Rajkumar" and "Aaja Aaja Tu Aaja Anewale Talking of Dil To Pagal Hai I really didn’t see the big fuss with this film.

I thought it was really boring and couldn’t see why it became a hit. Yash Chopra's worst in my opinion. Wafer thin storyline and no meat. This was the time when he had stopped being different (i.e.Lamhe/Parampara/Darr) and decided to take the safe route with a candyfloss film like DTPH Mads still bagged it and I remember that when Madhuri made her speech she said "this is public proof to all those critics who have been saying I should pack my bags!" because at that time everyone was writing her off as too old.

Also when Koyla flopped (Madhuri and Shahrukh) Rakesh Roshan said that the only reason it had flopped was because Madhuri was too old how rude! he had signed her as his heroine and then after the film flopped said that about her. I hate that about the Hindi film industry. The actors are still romancing at 40+ (Salman, SRK, and Aamir) still playing college students but the minute the actresses reach 35 or more its time to do "mature" roles pathetic! She did turn down a lot of roles in her career that were sensible or thinking roles

For example, she refused Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 1942 A Love Story with Anil Kapoor (have you watched this? its an amazing period drama) and the role went to Manisha Koirala who received an award for best critics actress. Also, she refused the role of Annie in Khamoshi directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali (his debut film) and this role, again an extremely uncongenial and hard role to portray went to Manisha Koirala who again bagged best critics actress award for this one. Kajol was also offered it but turned it down and by the way Khamoshi is MUCH BETTER than BLACK, if you watch Khamoshi you will see BLACK is so similar.

Choli Ke Peeche (Khal Nayak), Maar Dala & Dola Re Dola (Devdas), Aankhiyan Milaoon (Raja), Kay Sera Sera (Pukar), Mera Piya Ghar Aaya, Loye Loye, Jaane Woh Kaisa Chor Tha (Yarana), Badi Mushkil (Lajja).She could enact a huge spectrum of roles displaying tremendous intensity. She portrayed the common oppressed Indian women with great precision in 'Mrityudand'. She gave equal justice to pathos and comedy and was always natural. The way she carried off some films on her own like’ Hum Apke Hai Kaun was remarkable.

In the era just completed with Sridevi, Juhi and Kajol she was the finest actress in Bolywoood. She on screen beauty to me was second only to Madhu Bala and with Rekha she was the most gorgeous actress of recent times. The sensitivity expressed in her eyes was poetic. I also admire the way she has adapted to her new role as a wife and a mother. In her interview she showed how down to earth she was and how now she was virtually a new women. Her acting skills, looks, her charm and persona, her dance numbers the aura she creates on the silver screen is certainly unbeatable.

Her beauty and talent is definitely unbeatable. She is and will remain the queen on marquee for ever and ever. She worked with all kind of directors and did well with each of them. Unlike Aishwariya, Kajol or Rani she didn't had any one production company that made her superstar. She & her films did well with all kind of directors. She was the highest paid actress there for over a decade, from 1989 to 2002 and her popularity there is amazing. Having Madhuri Dixit appear in a movie can turn a movie into a quick hit, a friend of mine in the Bollywood industry explained to me.