Madhuri Dixit Nene (née Dixit; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian film actress best known for her work in Hindi films. She is a prominent Indian film actress who has starred in over 70 films. Critics praised Dixit for her beauty, dance abilities, and characters, and she was hailed with uniquely paralleling her male colleagues and leading star vehicles in a male-dominated industry. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, she was one of the country's highest-paid celebrities, and she has appeared on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since its establishment in 2012. Her honors include six Filmfare Awards from a total of 17 nominations. Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honor, was bestowed upon her by the government in 2008.
Dixit, who was born and reared in Mumbai, made her acting debut in 1984 as the lead in the drama Abodh. She rose to fame with the action drama Tezaab (1988), and established herself with major parts in the top-grossing love dramas Dil (1990), Beta (1992), and Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! (1994), as well as Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). She received four Filmfare Awards for Best Actress for her roles in them. Ram Lakhan (1989), Tridev (1989), Thanedaar (1990), Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), Saajan (1991), Khalnayak (1993), and Raja (1995) were among her other commercially successful films during this time period.
Apart from her mainstream success, Dixit received critical acclaim for her roles in Prem Pratigyaa (1989), Parinda (1989), Anjaam (1994), Mrityudand (1997), Pukar (2000), Lajja (2001), and Devdas (2002). For the latter, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. After taking a break from performing in 2002, Dixit made a brief comeback with the musical Aaja Nachle (2007), and worked infrequently for the next two decades. Her highest-grossing film was the adventure comedy Total Dhamaal (2019), and she received critical acclaim for her roles in the black comedy Dedh Ishqiya (2014) and the Netflix web series The Fame Game (2022).
She has been involved in charity efforts in addition to appearing in films. She has worked with UNICEF since 2014 to campaign for children's rights and to avoid child labor, and she is the co-founder of the production firm RnM Moving Pictures. Her television appearances include frequent appearances as a talent judge on dance reality series. She has been married to Shriram Nene since 1999, and they have two boys, Arin and Ryan.
Background and early life
Madhuri Dixit was born on May 15, 1967, in Bombay (modern-day Mumbai) to Shankar and Snehlata Dixit, into a Marathi Kokanastha Brahmin family. She has two older brothers and two older sisters. She began dancing at the age of three and went on to learn in Kathak for eight years before becoming a professionally trained Kathak dancer.
When I was nine years old, I won a Kathak dance scholarship. I recall seeing my name in the newspaper for the first time because of a dancing performance. At the time, I was about seven or eight years old and had performed at the Guru Purnima celebration. And there was a journalist present, and he had written a piece in which he stated that 'this little child stole the show' or something along those lines. I couldn't believe it. So dancing gave me a sense of accomplishment. of value."
Dixit attended Divine Child High School in Andheri, where she participated in extra-curricular activities such as drama. Dixit aspired to be a microbiologist and enrolled at Sathaye College in Vile Parle (Mumbai), where she studied microbiology as one of her BSc subjects. However, six months into her course, Dixit decided to discontinue studies and pursue a full-time career in films.
Career as an actor
Early roles, breakthrough, and recognition in the 1980s
Dixit made her film debut in 1984 with Rajshri Productions' drama Abodh, opposite Bengali actor Tapas Paul. The film flopped commercially, but Dixit's performance earned her positive reviews from critics. Aakash Barvalia of Gomolo wrote, "Madhuri excels in her role as a young bride who acquits herself well as the naive village girl and does not realise what marriage actually entails."
Dixit's next four releases were the dramas Swati (1986), Manav Hatya (1986), Hifazat (1987), and Uttar Dakshin (1987), none of which performed well either critically or commercially. Hifazat marked Dixit's first of several collaborations with Anil Kapoor.
In 1988, Dixit starred in Dayavan, a commercially successful film. The following year, she finally gained recognition when she played Mohini, an impoverished and unhappy woman forced to dance for money for her father in N. Chandra's action romance Tezaab, opposite Anil Kapoor. It went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year, and she received her first Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress; the film's success established Though she is best known for her crowd-pleasing dancing routine Ek Do Teen, her acting is noteworthy, particularly in sequences where she is matched against Anupam Kher."
Vardi, her first release of 1989, did fairly well at the box office. She then re-teamed with Anil Kapoor for Subhash Ghai's Ram Lakhan, in which she played Radha Shastri, a girl who falls in love with her childhood friend but finds it difficult to convince her father. Ram Lakhan finished as the second highest-grossing film of the year, emerging as a "super-hit" at the box office.
Her next release of the year, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's drama Parinda, co-starring Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, and Nana Patekar, was another box office success. She played Paro, a schoolteacher who is killed on her wedding night along with Karan (played by Kapoor) by a gangster (played by Patekar). A major critical success, the film was included in News18's 2013 list of the "100
1990s: Ascendancy and widespread success
In 1990, Dixit appeared in nine films, five of which were commercially unsuccessful (Maha-Sangram, Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin, Jeevan Ek Sanghursh, Sailaab, and Jamai Raja). Her next release that year was Rakesh Roshan's action comedy Kishen Kanhaiya (alongside Anil Kapoor and Shilpa Shirodkar). It tells the story of twin brothers who are She breathed fire as the rebellious lover challenging her family, or the sad estranged wife yearning to be with her ill better half." Dixit's final release of the year was the action film Thanedaar, which she co-starred in alongside Dutt and was another huge success.
Dixit had five film releases in 1991, the first of which was the romance Pyar Ka Devta. She then starred alongside Jackie Shroff in the psychological thriller 100 Days, where she played Devi, a clairvoyant woman who has a vision of a murder and sets out to uncover the truth. The film was a moderate success. She then starred in Saajan, opposite Dutt and Salman Khan, which was a major critical and commercial success.
In 1992, Dixit starred in Sudhir Mishra's Dharavi starring Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and Anil Kapoor. Dixit appears in the film as part of the lead character's (played by Puri) escapist dreams, portraying the fictional version of herself. The film was a joint NFDC-Doordarshan production and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. Dixit's next release of the year was Kumar's drama Beta, co-starring Anil Kapoor and Aruna Irani. Dixit's portrayal of Saraswati, an educated woman who rebels against her manipulative mother-in-law, earned her critical acclaim. Sukanya Verma mentioned that Dixit delivered "a powerhouse performance against an equally lethal looking Irani, even as Kapoor was overshadowed between the ladies." The film finished up as the biggest hit of the year and won her a second Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Following the film's success, Dixit became famously known as the "Dhak Dhak Girl". Zindagi Ek Juaa, Prem Deewane, Khel and Sangeet were her other releases of the year.
Dixit first appeared in Ramesh Talwar's commercially successful Sahibaan in 1993. She then reunited with Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff in Subhash Ghai's crime drama Khalnayak, where she played Ganga, a police officer who volunteers to go undercover to catch an escaped criminal. Her portrayal of Ganga, a police officer who volunteers to go undercover to catch an escaped criminal, garnered her critical praise. When she stares into the camera, looks at every man in the dark, and promises him her heart--and much more--the whistles become deafening. In one Bangalore theater, police were kept on standby in case the crowds went berserk." Dixit's performance in Khalnayak earned her a sixth nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Actress and helped the film become the second highest-grossing film of the year in India, trailing only Singeetam Srinivasa Rao's Phool and Lawrence D'Souza's Dil Tera Aashiq.
In 1994, Dixit starred in Rahul Rawail's psychological thriller Anjaam, which marked her first of many collaborations with Shah Rukh Khan. Dixit's portrayal of Shivani Chopra, a revenge-seeking wife and mother earned her a seventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. The film performed moderately well at the box office. Her next release was Rajshri Productions' family drama Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! opposite Salman Khan. The film emerged as one of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema and made ₹ 1.35 billion worldwide, breaking the record of the film Sholay (1975). It became the highest grossing Bollywood film in Hindi cinema history after its theatrical run and held the record for 7 years till the release of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001). Dixit's portrayal of Nisha, who falls in love with Prem (Khan's character) but their plans to be together are put in jeopardy when Nisha's sister dies, fetched her a third Filmfare Award for Best Actress and her first Screen Award for Best Actress. Critics believed the film to be "too sweet" but appreciated Dixit's performance. Tripat Narayanan of New Straits Times wrote "The Madhuri magic looms large throughout the film. As she emotes through dance, you simply cannot take your eyes off her." In a retrospective review, Rediff wrote, "Madhuri's Nisha was stunning, enthused, plucky, and irresistible." Film critic K Hariharan noted, "She is seducing every person on screen, but does it in ways that are so graceful, there is a good balance between profanity and the sacred."
Dixit achieved further success when she reunited with Indra Kumar for the romantic drama Raja opposite Sanjay Kapoor, in which she portrayed Madhu, a rich girl who falls for her childhood friend (played by Kapoor), but finds it difficult to convince her two brothers of this relationship. It was the third highest-grossing film of the year, and its success was attributed to Dixit's immense popularity.
Both her films, Prem Granth and Rajkumar, flopped at the box office the following year. In 1997, Dixit received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Ketki Singh, a village woman who struggles to confront and defeat the forces of oppression and male domination in Prakash Jha's Mrityudand, alongside Shabana Azmi and Shilpa Shirodkar. She looks lovely in a simple outfit and performs even better. She is by turns romantic, vulnerable, and angry - the perfect foil to Azmi's long-suffering 'badi bahu.'" Dixit won a third Screen Award for Best Actress for her performance. She then starred in the dramas Koyla, Mahaanta, and Mohabbat. With the exception of Koyla, none of these films performed well either critically or commercially.
Dixit's fifth and final release of 1997 was Yash Chopra's musical romantic drama Dil To Pagal Hai, which co-starred Shah Rukh Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Akshay Kumar and depicted the love stories of the dancers in a musical dance troupe. Her role of Pooja, a woman faced with a moral dilemma in a love triangle, earned her a fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actress and the Zee Cine Award for Best
She then appeared in the N.Chandra-directed drama Wajood (1998), alongside Nana Patekar and Mukul Dev, as Apoorva, a very rich girl who is misunderstood by Malhar, played by Patekar. Suparn Verma of Rediff commented, "..She nevertheless shows that even a weak role cannot stifle her as she animates the screen like only she can." The collaboration of Nana, Madhuri, and Chandra in one film is truly a tour de force." The same year, she appeared in a cameo role in the comedy Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, once again playing herself onscreen after Dharavi. Her next and only release of 1999 was the romance Aarzoo (1999), opposite Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan.
2000s: Additional acclaim and sabbaticals
Dixit co-starred with Anil Kapoor in Rajkumar Santoshi's Pukar in 2000. The film, a love story set against the backdrop of the Indian Army, was shot over the course of 350 days. Dixit's portrayal of Anjali, a devastated and spiteful woman who swears vengeance on Jai (played by Kapoor) for rejecting her, earned her multiple Best Actress accolades, including Filmfare and Screen. According to a Filmfare review, "Anil Kapoor and Madhuri, veterans in their fields, outdo themselves in the film." It received two National Film Awards, including the Nargis Dutt Award for Best National Integration Feature Film. She then starred as the titular character in M.'s debut feature film, Gaja Gamini. Husain, F. Hussain became obsessed with Dixit and saw her film Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! multiple times, and was convinced that he would only make a film with her. The plot revolved around Gaja Gamini, who appears in many guises like Mona Lisa, Shakuntala, and others. Pukar was an average box office performer, whilst the latter underperformed.
Dixit appeared in Deepak Shivdasani's love triangle Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke in 2001, alongside Ajay Devgan and Preity Zinta. The film received mostly unfavorable reviews at its initial release. However, critic Gautam Buragohain called her "the saving grace of the film," adding that "she gives a delightful performance." The film also did poorly commercially. Dixit later collaborated with Rajkumar Santoshi on the social drama Lajja (2001). Dixit played Janki, a stage actress who becomes pregnant prematurely, in order to address the topic of gender discrimination. According to Anita Bora of Rediff.com, "Madhuri slips into her role as Janaki..with consummate ease..and..dazzles us with a class act." The film was a box-office failure in India but a triumph worldwide. Dixit's performance earned her a nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Female. Dixit's first film in 2002 was the love triangle Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, in which she played Radha, whose married relationship suffers when she becomes enamored with the profession of a friend. A remake directed by K. Thotta Chinungi (1995), directed by S. Adhiyaman, took six years to complete, with lengthy breaks in between shoots due to a variety of production issues. The film had a modest success at the Indian box office. Few commentators pointed out that the delay made the picture appear antiquated.
Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai, was Dixit's next film. It was based on the novel of the same name by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. She played Chandramukhi, a courtesan who has feelings for the title character. "As Chandramukhi, she is simply stunning, lending passion, fire, and gentleness with such consummate ease that watching her perform is sheer delight," wrote Sita Menon of Rediff.com. The film was a huge commercial success, grossing over 530 million (US$6.6 million). Devdas was chosen as India's official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and garnered a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Film Not in English. The film won five accolades at the 50th National Film accolades, including Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. For her performance in the film, Dixit received the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress. Dixit took a sabbatical from acting after Devdas to focus on her married life in Denver, Colorado.
Dixit made her first comeback as an actor in five years in 2007, with a prominent role in Anil Mehta's dance film Aaja Nachle. Dia is a choreographer who returns to her hometown to preserve the endangered theatre where she first learned to dance. Despite its box office flop, the film received great reviews for Dixit's performance. CNN-IBN's Rajeev Masand criticized the plot while praising Dixit's performance: "It's hard to take your eyes off the screen when she's up there, dazzling you with her spontaneity, her easy charm, and her 100-watt smile." Her performance earned her another Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress.
Comebacks and inconsistent work in the 2010s
Dixit moved to India with her family in 2011 and was honored with a special jury distinction by Filmfare for completing 25 years in the Indian film industry. Dixit made a cameo appearance as 'Mohini' in the romantic comedy drama Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in 2013, a nod to her character in the 1988 film Tezaab. Dixti was in the item song "Ghagra" with Ranbir Kapoor.
In 2014, Dixit first starred in the black comedy Dedh Ishqiya, a sequel to the 2010 film Ishqiya She played a con-woman "Begum Para" opposite Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi and Huma Qureshi and expressed that she agreed to do the film because of the "unapologetic way" director Abhishek Chaubey presented Vidya Balan's character in Ishqiya. The film received favorable reviews from critics, who dubbed it "one of the year's most important releases." Dixit was described as "compelling" by Anupama Chopra, while Deepanjana Pal of Firstpost commented, "She's still capable of keeping an audience glued to their seats when the credits start rolling, all because she's dancing on screen." Dixit received her fourteenth Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress for the film. Dedh Ishqiya made very little money at the box office.
Gulaab Gang, directed by Soumik Sen and starring Juhi Chawla, was her next release of the year. Dixit played Rajjo, the head of a women's activist organization who was inspired by real-life vigilante activist Sampat Pal Devi and her Gulabi Gang. Pal filed a lawsuit against the film, saying that the producers did not have authorization to make a film about her life, but the court ultimately removed the stay. Dixit trained in Shaolin Kung Fu, stick fighting, and close combat to prepare for her role. Gulaab Gang was a movie office flop that received mixed reviews. Dixit's performance and demeanor were described as "inconsistent" by Subhash K. Jha. Sampat Pal, on the other hand, remarked that in Dixit's role she finds a "reflection of her own life so stark" that she feels "it was she on screen." The movie bombed at the box office.
Dixit made her Marathi film debut four years later with the comic movie Bucket List. She portrayed Madhura Sane, a middle-aged housewife who takes the initiative to complete her deceased adolescent heart donor's wish list. Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India wrote, "Madhuri owns the film and sails through it with flying colors," while Kunal Guha of Mumbai Mirror said, "Madhuri Dixit's long-overdue debut in Marathi cinema is a comfort watch even if a tad predictable and sappy."
Indra Kumar's adventure comedy Total Dhamaal (2019), Dixit reunited with Anil Kapoor and Ajay Devgn. She played Bindu Patel, a woman who, together with a bunch of others, discovers a secret treasure and races to claim it. The film earned mixed to poor reviews, however Dixit's performance was mixed to positive. According to India Today's Lakshana N Palat, "the little respite in this adventure-comedy is the pairing of Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit, who prove that they still have the same impeccable chemistry and partnership almost two decades later." RnM Moving Pictures, Dixit's production firm, created the Marathi Netflix drama 15 August. "The film is about the freedom to love, the freedom to choose your career, and the freedom to die," Dixit remarked in an interview with Scroll.in.
She then appeared in Abhishek Varman's historical love drama Kalank, alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sanjay Dutt. The film, set in the 1940s before India's split, starred her as Bahaar Begum, a brothel madam. According to NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee, "in the blinding glow of Dixit's presence as a nautch girl who can turn on the magic at will, the younger cast members pale somewhat in comparison. She lights up the screen as only she can, pushing the others to strive harder." It did not perform well at the box office, but she received a third nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Dixit starred in the Netflix series The Fame Game, which premiered in 2022.
Other business ventures
Television
Dixit made her television debut as Neena in the Rajshri Productions serial Paying Guest in 1985. Dixit presented Sony Entertainment's matrimonial show Kahi Na Kahi Koi Hai in 2002. Dixit appeared as a talent judge on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa for five seasons: the fourth season with Remo D'Souza and Malaika Arora Khan, the fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons with D'Souza and Karan Johar, and the tenth season in 2022 with Johar and Nora Fatehi.
She was an anchor for the inauguration of a new entertainment channel, Life OK, in 2011, and she co-hosted a competitive cooking game show, Food Food Maha Challenge, with Sanjeev Kapoor that same year. Dixit appeared as a jury member on So You Think You Can Dance (India) in 2016, an officially licensed version of the So You Think You Can Dance series based on the original American production developed by Dick Clark Productions. Dixit co-judged three seasons of Colors TV's Dance Deewane, which provides contestants from three generations a chance.
Dancing and stage productions
Dixit has been in a number of theater productions, concert tours, and television award ceremonies. She appeared at "Madhuri Dixit Live" concerts throughout India, the Middle East, and the United States from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. She sang at the Pepsi W2K Millennium Concert in Mumbai in 2000.
Dixit and actors Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Ritesh Deshmukh, and Aishwarya Rai appeared in Amitabh Bachchan's "Unforgettable World Tour" stage performance, which ran for 40 days in 11 locations across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
In the same year, she appeared in the fourth installment of "Temptation Reloaded," performing in Auckland, Perth, Sydney, and Dubai with Khan, Rani Mukerji, Fernandez, and Meiyang Chang; and in 2014, she appeared in Malaysia with Khan, Mukerji, and Arijit Singh. Dixit also took part in SLAM! The Tour, which took place in the United States, Canada, and London.
Dixit appeared on the program Fusion in Houston in 2015, alongside Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, and Prabhu Deva. She performed at the Men's Hockey World Cup's debut ceremony in 2018.
Dixit started her own online dancing academy "Dance With Madhuri" in 2013, where customers may learn to dance various dance forms and receive one-on-one lessons.
Humanitarian and social work
Throughout her career in the film industry, Dixit has been an advocate for children's education and women's safety. In 2000, she appeared in a series of one-minute telespots on AIDS prevention for the Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society. Dixit won 5,000,000 on Kaun Banega Crorepati, a game show that was in its inaugural season at the time. She gave her money to the victims of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and to a Pune orphanage.
Dixit participated in the NDTV Toyota Greenathon in 2009, India's first-ever statewide campaign to save the environment and raise awareness about environmental issues. NDTV hosted India's first 24-hour live telethon, a fund-raising event in which people donated money to help TERI's initiative—Lighting a Billion Lives—which aims to provide solar power to areas that do not have electricity.
Dixit spent an evening with 75 orphanage children of farmers at an ashram in Trimbakeshwar on 3 February 2011 and celebrated the birthdays of two youngsters: Hrishikesh and Rani. "We artists are ready to help such children," she stated on the occasion, adding that "people from higher society should come forward and stand firmly behind them." Dixit is a Goodwill Ambassador and sponsor of the "Emeralds for Elephants" charity project dedicated to the conservation of Asian elephants and other endangered species. The project's goal is to raise awareness and finances for the protection of the critically endangered Asian elephant. A partnership effort between the World Land Trust (a nonprofit environmental organization based in the United Kingdom) and the Wildlife Trust of India to create protected wildlife corridors connecting National Parks and protected areas. "Elephants are one of my favorite animals, and I love them, so what we need to do today is see how we can preserve our animals, and I feel very strongly about this," she remarked of the subject. Two years later, she donated to the Uttarakhand flood relief.
Dixit rescued seven puppies who were wet in rain during filming the sixth season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in June 2013. Interrupting the filming, Dixit, her husband Sriram Nene, and the show's director Saahil Chhabria contacted PETA while waiting for volunteers. PETA India's Sachin Bangera responded, saying, "It's been raining cats and dogs, and many puppies and kittens are now in need of good homes. Madhuri Dixit, Dr Nene, and Saahil Chhabria's kind deed will inspire many to come forward to help animals in distress."
On behalf of PETA, Dixit and her husband wrote a letter to Kolhapur MLA Vinay Kore in January 2014, requesting that the elephant Sunder be relocated to a sanctuary - "(Sunder) has scars on his legs and cowers in fear and pain because he is being beaten by his mahout," "He should live free from suffering, in the company of other elephants, and have the opportunity to roam vast distances."
Dixit, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, launched the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" initiative in 2015.
Dixit has been working with UNICEF since 2014 to promote for children's rights and to prevent child labor and trafficking. She took part in a fashion display hosted by Lilavati Hospital to raise funds for the organization's 'Save & Empower the Girl Child' project. The Madhya Pradesh government named her as the brand ambassador for its Mamta Abhiyaan (maternal and child health) campaign the same year. Dixit partnered with Vogue for their Vogue Empower series on the short video 'Boys don't weep,' directed by Vinil Mathew, about gender policing. In 2015, the Government of India named her as the brand ambassador for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program, which aims to raise awareness and enhance the effectiveness of social services for girls. She provided her voice to narrate the tale of one of the eight girls featured in Girl Rising: Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi, a film about girls' education and empowerment. Dixit was named brand ambassador and launched MAA (Mothers Absolute Affection), a flagship program to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding.
Dixit has also made public appearances to support charities and causes. Madhuri Dixit participated in a World Cancer Day event organized by Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd at Juhu, Mumbai, on February 4, 2012. On World Diabetes Day (WDD), 2013, she launched Sanofi India's campaign, which urges individuals to take proactive efforts to effectively prevent, manage, and control diabetes. On February 24, 2014, she went to a school in Andheri, Mumbai, to support the "Support My School" campaign. She took part in 'Set Beautiful Free,' a One Foundation event that provided homes, education, food, and healthcare to the daughters of trafficking victims. She attended a charity event hosted by the 'Nanhi Kali' NGO in 2018.
Dixit and her family adopted an abandoned dog rescued by PETA India on March 17, 2019. "Abandoning a companion dog or cat is the cruelest thing to do," she added, "and I'm glad we'll be able to give this pup a new lease on life."
Dixit, along with other Bollywood celebrities John Abraham, Shilpa Shetty, and Sunny Leone, will join PETA India for its 20th anniversary in March 2021. Awards were given out at the virtual party to those who have advocated for animal rights. "From there on it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Dixit said of joining the organization to help elephants. "Two years ago, my family adopted Carmelo, a cherished dog, from PETA India, and since then, I urge everyone I see to adopt a dog or a cat from the shelter or from the street."
False advertising in endorsements
The Tamil Nadu Consumers Forum issued her notifications in May-June 2015 for "false representation" in marketing for Maggi, a noodle brand with dangerous levels of lead detected. She continued to endorse the product's safety on Twitter, even after food officials discovered more than 17 times the allowable lead levels and the product was prohibited.
Music
Dixit has performed in a few songs from her films, including "Kaahe Chhed" from Devdas and "Soniye Mil Ja" from Aaja Nachle, both composed by Birju Maharaj and Salim-Sulaiman. Dixit sung the traditional folk song "Rangi Sari Gulaabi Chunariya" alongside her mother Snehlata Dixit for her 2014 film Gulaab Gang, which was composed and remade for the film by its director Soumik Sen.
Dixit made her professional singing debut in 2020 with "Candle," an English track dedicated to frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2022, she released her second single, "Tu Hai Mera."
Artistry and its reception
Dixit is regarded as one of India's most talented and important actresses. Dixit was one of the highest-paid actresses in the Indian entertainment industry during the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. She was named the highest-paid Indian actress in the Guinness World Records book in 2000. NDTV ranked Dixit first among "the most popular Bollywood actresses of all time" in 2012. The next year, she was ranked fourth, behind Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, and Shah Rukh Khan, and ranked first among female actors as the greatest Bollywood star in a UK survey commemorating 100 years of Indian cinema. In the same year, Dixit was selected "India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years" in a national survey sponsored by CNN-IBN on the occasion of the centennial of Indian cinema. Dixit was named the most popular actress in Hindi cinema by India Today in 2017.
Dixit has a significant fan base in the South Asian diaspora. Reuters stated, "In her prime, Dixit was the undisputed queen of Bollywood, the world's largest film industry by audience size, and her popularity and fees rivaled even the biggest male stars." Dixit has acted in a variety of film genres and portrayed roles in both mainstream and independent productions throughout her career, with Saibal Chatterjee of Outlook citing Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! for transforming Dixit into a "subcontinental icon." Dixit was dubbed "India's biggest female star" by the New York Times.
In a review of her performances, Baradwaj Rangan referred to her as "the last of the all-in-one female stars who could do drama, comedy, and dance," while Firstpost referred to her as "one of the last superstars of Hindi cinema," complimenting her work in Lajja, Devdas, and Dedh Ishqiya. Filmfare Magazine named her performance in Mrityudand one of the "80 Iconic Performances" in 2010. In the media, Dixit is praised for her flexibility and for establishing a "balance of critical acclaim and commercial success."
She is well-known for her dancing abilities in addition to her acting abilities. Pandit Birju Maharaj, who choreographed Dixit in Devdas, refers to her as "the best Bollywood dancer" because of her flexibility. Saroj Khan, who has worked with her on several occasions, describes her as a "choreographer's delight." According to the Hindustan Times, she is responsible for providing a 'technical touch' to dance scenes in Hindi films. Dixit was the inspiration for M. F. Husain, an Indian painter. He was captivated by Dixit's performance in Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!, and he rented a whole theater to witness her comeback flick Aaja Nachle. He painted a series of her and directed Gaja Gamini, a film featuring her, in 2000 as a tribute to Dixit herself.
Image from the media
Dixit appeared on Box Office India's Top Actresses list for ten years in a row (1988-97). Forbes ranked her sixth among the "top five most powerful Indian film stars" in 2001. Dixit was in Rediff's annual "Top Bollywood actresses" list in 2002 and 2014. She has appeared on numerous Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses", "Bollywood's Best Actresses Ever" and "Top 10 Bollywood Actresses of All Time". In 2010, she was named one of "33 women who made India proud" by The Economic Times. The Government of Andhra Pradesh bestowed the "Kalabhinetri Award" on her in 1997. Dixit received the National Citizens' Award in 2001 for her contributions to Indian cinema. The Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri in 2008 for her contributions to Indian cinema. In 2015, she was named a "Inspiring Icon of India" by Sathyabama University. Madhuri Dixit, an unauthorised biography written by professor Nandana Bose, was published in 2019.
Dixit has been hailed as a sex symbol and is regularly referred to as one of the most attractive Indian celebs. Her eyes, sex appeal, and urban appearance have been noted as her distinguishing qualities by the media, with her grin serving as her hallmark. She was named one of the 50 most beautiful faces in Bollywood by The Times of India, while the Hindustan Times described her as "a classic Indian beauty." Her appearance and performances have cemented her status as a fashion icon. The UK magazine Eastern Eye named her one of the "World's Sexiest Asian Women" in 2007, 2013, 2016, and 2018.
Madhuri Lake was renamed after her after Sangestar Tso Lake in Arunachal Pradesh, where a song from Koyla was filmed. In the constellation Orion, she has a star named for her. A wax version of Dixit was displayed in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum in March 2012. Two further figures were on display in 2017 at Madame Tussaud's Museums in Singapore and Delhi. With the exception of 2017, Dixit has appeared on Forbes India's "Celebrity 100," a list based on the income and popularity of India's superstars, every year since its introduction in 2012. She was one of twenty Indians chosen for the Oscar Academy's Class of 2018.
Private life
Dixit married Shriram Madhav Nene, a cardiovascular surgeon from Los Angeles, California, on October 17, 1999, in a traditional ceremony performed at Dixit's elder brother's home in Southern California, amidst media speculation about her personal life. Nene had never seen any of her flicks and was completely oblivious of her notoriety. "It was very important that he didn't know me as an actress because then he would know me as a person first," Dixit said of their relationship. People who have seen you as an actress have preconceived views... None of it was with him here. I met the right person, I wanted to marry her, and I did." Several important Indian celebrities attended Dixit and Nene's wedding celebration in Mumbai, including then-Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Shivsena chief Bal Thackeray, Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, Yash Chopra, Sridevi, and many others.
Dixit lived in Denver, Colorado, for about a decade after her marriage. Dixit gave birth to a boy, Arin, on March 17, 2003. She had another son, Ryan, two years later, on March 8, 2005. She called parenthood "amazing," adding that her children kept "the child in her alive."
Dixit and her family returned to Mumbai in October 2011. "I always enjoy being here," Dixit said of it. I grew up in Mumbai, so it seems like going home to me. It was a different time in my life when I want a home, a family, a husband, and children... all I had wished for."
Dixit and her husband started the production firm RnM Moving Pictures in 2018. They also obtained orange belts in taekwondo together.
Filmography
Madhuri Dixit's filmography is the main article.
Accolades
The main article is: Madhuri Dixit's list of awards and nominations
Dixit has won six Filmfare wins out of a total of seventeen nominations, including four Best Actress wins for Dil (1990), Beta (1992), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun! (1994), and Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), as well as a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Devdas (2002). She received a Filmfare Special Award for her 25-year career in the Indian cinema industry. The Government of India honored her with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2008 for her services to the arts.
In pop culture,
• Dixit's photograph appears on the cover of a cinema magazine in a memorable scene from the 1994 cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna. Amar (played by Aamir Khan) teases Prem (played by Salman Khan) about being engaged to Dixit, alluding to her appearance in the magazine.
• Dixit's name was mentioned in the closing line of the song "Maine Kal Ek Sapna Dekha" from the 1997 romantic drama action film Sanam. This song is based on the main character, Sanjay Dutt, narrating about what he witnessed in his dream the night before. He is talking about numerous other Bollywood actresses and how he wants all of them close to him, but in the end, he just wants to marry Madhuri Dixit.Banegi Madhuri Meri Dulhan (Madhuri would be my Bride), he says.
• Dixit's name was mentioned in one line alongside Govinda's name in the song "Tan Tana Tan Tan" from the 1997 film Judwaa. The song was a major hit, and it was replicated in the film's 2017 remake, however the lyric about the two actors was removed.
• Mrs. Madhuri Dixit, a Zee TV television serial starring Renuka Shahane, was titled after her in 1997.
• During the summer camp in romantic comedy drama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998 film), there is a scene in the night when everyone is playing the Dumb Charade game and Rahul's mother (played by Farida Jalal) and Almeida (played by Johnny Lever) are going to imitate one of the popular scenes of Hum Aapke Hain Kaun so the other team can figure out which movie it is. So Rahul (played by Shahrukh Khan) discovers the title of the film and says mother Madhuri Dixit first, followed by Hum Aapke Hain Kaun.
• In the 2001 film Ajnabee, there is a comedic scene in which Lakhan Pal (L.P.) (played by Narendra Bedi) is about to tell Champa Devi (C.D.) (played by Amita Nangia) that she is not C.D. (Champa Devi), but M.D., and she blushingly refers to herself as Madhuri Dixit.
• In 2003, a film titled Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon was released, in which a woman (played by Antara Mali) strives to be the next Madhuri Dixit by making a name for herself in Bollywood. Ram Gopal Varma directed the film, which was dedicated to Dixit.
• The popular American comedy The Big Bang Theory had a scene in the season two episode "The Bad Fish Paradigm" in which two of the main characters, Raj (played by Kunal Nayyar) and Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons), fight about Dixit and fellow actress Aishwarya Rai.
• The media believed that television actress Karishma Tanna will play Dixit in Sanjay Dutt's biography Sanju, which was released in 2018. The film, however, made no mention of Dixit.
| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Madhuri Shankar Dixit |
| Nickname(s) | Bubbly, Dhak-Dhak Girl |
| Profession | Actress |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 163 cm in meters- 1.63 m in Feet Inches- 5’ 4” |
| Weight approx.) | in Kilograms- 56 kg in Pounds- 123 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 36-27-35 |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 15 May 1967 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 55 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Signature |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| School | Divine Child High School, Mumbai |
| College | Parle College, Mumbai |
| Educational Qualifications | Degree in Micro-Biology |
| Debut | Film Debut: Abodh (1984) TV Debut: Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai (2002) |
| Family | Father- Late Shankar Dixit Mother- Snehlata Dixit (died on 12 March 2023 in Mumbai at the age of 90) [1]Rediff Brother- Ajit Dixit Sister- Rupa Dixit, Bharati Dixit |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Brahmin |
| Address | 2-B/110/1201, Excellency, 4th Cross Road, Lokhandwala, Complex, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400058 |
| Hobbies | Dancing, Reading |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Kande Pohe, Zunka Bhakar, Modak |
| Actor(s) | Balraj Sahani, Gregory Peck |
| Actresses | Nargis, Madhubala, Meryl Streep, Ingrid Bergman |
| Film(s) | Bollywood: Garam Hawa, Ganga Jamuna, Sholay, Padosan, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi Hollywood: Roman Holiday, Gone With The Wind, All About Eve |
| Dancer(s) | Hema Malini, Helen, Birju Maharaj, Gene Kelly |
| Book | A Quiver Full of Arrows by Jeffrey Archer |
| Colour | Orange |
| Perfume(s) | Nina Ricci, Issey Miyake |
| Sport | Tennis |
| Travel Destination | Maldives |
| Boys, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband/Spouse | Shriram Madhav Nene (Doctor - Cardiovascular surgeon, m. 1999) |
| Marriage Date | 17 October 1999 |
| Children | Son- Raayan Nene, Arin Nene Daughter- N/A |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | SUV car |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | 3-4 crore/film (INR) 1 crore/episode (INR) |
| Assets/Properties | In October 2022, she bought a luxurious apartment in Worli, Mumbai for Rs. 48 crore. |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $35 million |
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