THE MADHURI MAGIC

COVER STORY
HINDI FILM INDUSTRY
THE MADHURI
MAGIC
By ANUPAMA CHANDRA
E
VERYBODY'S dancing to it, everyone's watching it on thevideo or the big screen. No party is complete without it,
no disco worth visiting if it doesn't play the Choli ke
peechhe number at least five times an evening. Seldom has a
song—and the screen singer—captured the public mood and
imagination with such devastating effect.
If Madhuri Dixit has got the entire country swaying to the
Choli beat, she also has the film industry dancing to her tune.
In the industry, they now speak of Madhuri strictly in
superlatives. "She's a 10," says Beta producer Ashok
Thakeria. "The Madhuri craze is fantastic," says Vinod Doshi
who financed Dil and Beta. "She is a great star." Tolu Bajaj,
who distributed her starrers Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Beta and
124
I N D I A T O D A Y » SEPTEMBER 1 5. 199 !
Khalnayak, makes what is now a universal assessment of her:
"N,o two ways about it—she is Number One."
(_ Last week, in the 40 degrees Celsius temperature of an
indoor Film City set, a middle-aged technician watching
Madhuri playing a scene in the Rs 5-crore, special-effects
fantasy Rajkumar, took in her too-tight-to-breathe-in blood
red strapless gown, the heavily lashed eyes, the full lips, and
remarked: "W«/7, kya namak hai."
Namak. Salt. Sex. Style. Oomph. Take your pick. In
Bollywood's esoteric vernacular, namak could mean any of
those things. Or all of them.
What is obvious is that in an industry where the battle for the
top is conducted on the level of a blood sport, she has namak enough to be a phenomenon. Sridevi charges more than Madhuri.
But there is no doubt who is Number One. Certainly not after the
stunning success of her latest release, Khalnayak, and the waves
caused by Madhuri's sensual, pulse-pounding Choli number.
Wearing a backless embroidered orange choli. she grinds
and thrusts in her trademark dhak dhak style. The whistles
grow deafening when she stares into the camera, looks at
every man in the dark, and promises him her heart—and
much more. In one Bangalore theatre, the police were
kept on stand-by in case the crowds went berserk.
In the first week after its release, Khalnayak grossed'approximately Rs 4.5 crore. An initial draw which bettered that of any
top Amitabh starrer. Many now concede, however, that
Subhash Ghai's saga of a terrorist redeemed by love is a hit largely
because of Choli. The bawdy, bouncy song has been mired in
controversy for months. Though overly concerned citizens like
Delhi lawyer R.P. Chugh are yelling obscene, the censors, courts
and, evidently, the people are convinced by Madhuri's answer
that the only thing heaving under her blouse is her dil. They are
coming in droves to see her perform the song whose soundtrack
has sold over 20 lakh copies. "The song is
sensational," says actor Anil Kapoor, and
Madhuri is "just mind-blowing".
I
N tinseltown, hype is king. Or queen,
in this case. But even discounting
that, the Madhuri magic is currently
working overtime. Around Rs 12 crore
rides on the 25-plus heroine's slender
5-ft, 4-inch frame. With reputed names
like Sooraj Barjatya, Indra K u m a r and
Rahul Rawail directing her, she's
clearly no seven-day wonder either.
Advertisers are offering her anywhere
up to Rs 60 lakh for product endorsements. She gets two to three acting offers
a day, approximately 2,000 fan letters a
week and if you are planning a potboiler
with a combination of action, oomph
and Bollywood shuffle, you can't do it
without Madhuri Dixit. But you'll have
to wait till October '95—she doesn't
have any dates free until then.
Magazines that once labelled her
"Madhuri Jinx-it" are now actively
touting her as number one. Movie,
which had asked, "Can Madhuri overthrow Sridevi?" in a March '89 cover
story shortly after the release of her
tremendously successful Ram Lakhan
opposite Anil Kapoor, answered the
question in its J u n e '93 opinion poll.
Over 10,000 readers—or 39 per cent of
those who responded—said Madhuri
was their favourite actress.
Suddenly, everyone's begun to take
notice of her. Britain's Sunday
Telegraph's Foreign Bodies column recently called her "India's sexiest film
star". The Times of London, reporting on
the heated Choli debate, called her the
country's most glamorous actress.
At Rs 40 lakh a movie. Sridevi remains
the higher paid. Madhuri gets between Rs
30 lakh and Rs 35 lakh, roughly the same
as Jackie Shroff but substantially higher
than other stars like Salman Khan. Mukul
Anand, who directed her in Mahasangram
in 1990, admits that her appeal is on par
with that of the heroes. Juhi Chawla,
(From extreme left) Ek, do, teen; Dhak
dhak; and Choli ki> peechhe: numbers
that revved her up into superdrive
SKI'TFMBER 1i
125
MADHURI'S HIT PARADE
NAME OF FILM
Tezaab (November '88)
Ram Lakhan (January '89)
Tridev (July '89)
DUQune '90)
Saajan (August '91)
Beta (April '92)
Khalnayak (August '93)
BOX-OFFICE GROSS
Rs 10 crore
Rs 11 crore
Rs 5.5 crore
Rs 12 crore
Rs 7.5 crore
Rs 14 crore
Rs 8.5 crore*
With Sanjay Dutt in Saajan (left) and
Aamir Khan in Dil: equal appeal
dignified and sublime. "She's not a girl who
knows she is sexy," says dance director
Saroj Khan, who has choreographed her in
several song sequences. "She has a combination of innocence and sex appeal."
Moreover, she may not be a Meryl
Streep, but she can act. Rahul Rawail, who
is directing her in the female revenge
drama. Anjaani, says Madhuri has matured
She's possibly the only heroine who has had a major hit every year
into a "fine actress". Producer Rajkumar
since 1988.
Barjatya adds that Madhuri's acting prow(h'igures ;ire approximate all-India grosses)
ess reminds him of Meena Kumari. What
another rising star, gets Rs 20 lakh but will need two Be to-sized FirozeRangoonwalla, chronicler of Indian cinema, finds remarkable about Madhuri is her ability to recycle images of various
hits to challenge Madhuri's superstar status.
So what is the Madhuri phenomenon all about? It's about heroines from the past. Besides, the fact that she isn't westernised
(read barely clad) or southernised (read no bulky thighs), says
dancing, for one. No other actress can match her suggestive,
come-hither mobility. In the profusion of bare midriffs and Rangoonwalla, will take her far. It already has.
Since her Ek, do, teen sensation in the 1988 golden jubilee hit
wiggling hips, her sexuality stands apart, marked by an apparent
innocence. Her expressive eyes retain a child-like look even as the Tezaab, Madhuri has followed up with seven blockbusters (see
breasts heave and the pelvis thrusts. Her slim body lends grace to chart), including Dil and Beta which won her Filmfare awards for
the most blatant and suggestive choreography. She doesn't ooze best actress. Over 15 per cent of her Hindi films have been golden
sex; only suggests it. With no overt come-on, she is the ultimate jubilee hits. Compare this to the Sridevi saga. She last had a hit
with Chandni. Since then, she has landed five major flops in
Indian male fantasy—a desi, middle class Madonna.
succession, including Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja. Sridevi's slide
ADHURI'S girl-next-door appeal makes her an accessi- has paralleled Madhuri's rise.
And Bollywood's money men are delighted. While tradible fantasy. Unlike Sridevi, who is perfect enough to be
plastic, Madhuri retains an essential vulnerability. Her tional trade wisdom has it that no heroine can command an
sexuality is never threatening. The unaggressive glamour speaks initial—moviespeak for drawing power through the opening
to the front-bencher as effectively as to anyone else. As producer week—or sell a film solo, financiers and distributors like Ramesh
Boney Kapoor puts it: "It's the smile, the warmth on her face. It's Sippy agree that Madhuri makes an unbeatable bet. Her name in
a face that can easily project all emotions and every emotion the star-cast of an A-class commercial film can fetch producers
up to Rs 40 lakh more on total movie sales.
looks real. Few faces have such mobility."
More important, unlike most stars, Madhuri has increased
In today's movie market, where sales of a film's soundtrack
often dictate box-office destiny, song and dance have become of her price steadily over the years, always careful not to outprice
herself. Stars such as Salman
paramount importance to a
Khan and Ajay Devgan, who
film's success. This is exactly
"T
up their price to Rs 40
where Madhuri scores. With
1 meet strugglers every day, but rarely a hiked
lakh plus after one big hit, find
eight years of rigorous training
in Kathak, she comes through
girl like Madhuri. I knew she could hit the that several of their new films
unsold. The reason:
as a natural. Mukul Anand
big time and I took her on like a project." remain
several consecutive flops have
believes she can make the most
reduced their marketability
vulgar dance movements look
SUBHASH GHAI. producer-director
M
126
I N D I A T O D A Y * SEPTEMBER 15. 1993
and theirfilmscan no longer be
Mr India. And there are those
sold at prices that will recover
who wonder if she ever can.
the initial investment.
'"Madhuri is damn good but
Madhuri has also handled
she doesn't have it in her to
match Sridevi's histrionics,"
the media with shrewdness.
Earlier, she denied, though
says a director who knows
SAROJ KHAN, dance director
never too vehemently, allegaboth closely. Adds Tarun
Mazumdar, a film director:
tions of affairs with Subhash
"Madhuri is becoming a prisoner of her own popularity. Her
Ghai and Anil Kapoor. Casually dismissive of rumours of an
involvement with Sanjay Dutt at first, she issued a definitive physique is being exploited, not her acting ability."
However, Madhuri's secretary Rakesh Nath, who is now also
negative statement when Sanjay was arrested for possession of
an AK-56 early this year. "To date, no one really knows for sure
her producer in Dil Tera Aashiq, looks at the positive side. "So far
she's a musical sensation. The best is yet to come." That could be
about those two," says Dinesh Raheja, editor of Movie. Her
true. Madhuri may not be a Rekha or even a Sridevi but in
image, Khalnayak collections prove, emerged unscathed.
contrast to Sridevi's imperious and aloof image, Madhuri's
reputation in the industry has considerably enhanced her value.
ALL this makes Madhuri the hottest property in
People who have worked with her vouch that she is
f-\. She herself thinks that heroines are finally
JL _A. coming into their own (see interview). Certainly, there
hardworking and professional. "Success has not gone to her
head," says Anil Kapoor, who first worked with her in '87. "Her
are films that prove this point. Damini, which revolved around
attitude toward me hasn't changed and she'll always be Behenji
a woman fighting for justice, was a hit; Pamela Chopra's Aaina
to me." Adds Mukul Anand: "On the sets, there are no demands,
did well in urban centres; and now comes N. Chandra's
Tejaswini, based on the life of supercop Kiran Bedi, which is
she doesn't intimidate you with her growing stature." Indra
Kumar insists that "she's not on a star trip. Even today you can
scheduled for release shortly. However, directors like Rahul
Rawail says that it may be too early to tell whether there is any
mould her and she hardly interferes".
While her surroundings have altered (the Dixits moved to a
real trend towards heroine-oriented films.
Although clearly capable of more demanding roles—
spacious apartment in the upmarket Juhu area three years ago),
her entourage remains the same. Madhuri is accompanied to her
witness Parinda—so far Madhuri has been memorable in films
sets either by her plump, non-interfering mother, Snehlata, or
that have a profusion of song and dance. In fact, her critics say,
take away the three dances—in Tezaab. Beta and Khalnayak—
her quiet retired father, Shankar Dixit.'' Her parents are very nice
people," says Indra Kumar. And this makes a difference.
and what does she have?
For a superstar, Madhuri is remarkably civil. Her warmth
The criticism is not entirely unfounded. Reflected in
Madhuri's performances are tantalising glimpses of Madhubala, but she is yet to appear as memorable on screen. She has
never carried a film on her shoulders and is yet to pull off a
In forthcoming Rajkumar: in danger of being typecast
is not a girl who knows she is
sexy. She has a winning combination
of innocence and sex appeal."
SEPTEMBER 15. 1993 •
I N D I A TODAY
127
COVER STORY
**
puts people at ease even as an
even with her maternal unobvious Lakshman Rekha precle. "We talk out everything
ller
ability
to
recycle
images
of
various
vents them from getting too
together,'' insists her mother,
familiar. "She is approach- heroines of the past is remarkable. And she's "even today." The family
able," says Indra Kumar. "On
appear to be extremely
not westernised. These will take her far." does
the sets we can joke and laugh
close-knit. Affectionate ribFIROZE RANGOONWALLA, film historian
with her but she knows her
bing and laughter happen
limits and so do we." Madhuri
often. The Dixits appear to be
is not known to have any close personal friends in the industry. conservative, but looks deceive. Her mother claims she has
Unlike the pub-crawling girls—Pooja Bedi, Manisha, Raveena, never objected to Madhuri's penchant for sensuous song-andSomy Ali—she is seldom seen at Bombay's night spots.
dance numbers. "I am not uncomfortable at all," she says. "I
am very happy with her success. I think girls should get ahead
AMILY, it seems, is everything to her. "We have never
and progress. They should be bold." Even Madhuri's financial
been fond of parties and socialising," says her mother.
affairs are managed through a consensus reached between
Every year Madhuri takes one month off to visit her older
the Dixit family and her secretary, Rakesh Nath. She does not
brother and two sisters in the US. Talking about her star
discuss price with producers. They sit across the table with her
image, she says: "I'm not in love with that. I like myself like father and Nath.
this, as I am with my family."
Moreover, there are fans and well-wishers but no hangersAll major decisions are made through family consensus. on. She is, people say, genuinely uncomfortable with
Madhuri's idea to drop out of college to join films was discussed
chamchagiri. That could, however, change yet. Bollywood's
F
INTERVIEW
SHE'S without make-up and in a loose-fitting mustard
salwar-kameez—but there's no missing Madhuri Dixit's magnetic personality or the high-wattage smile. Peals of laughter,
infectious though somewhat rehearsed, punctuate her chatter.
The words flow unceasingly until she hits apersonal question. She
took two hours off her busy schedule to talk to Senior Correspondent ANUPAMA CHANDRA. Excerpts:
Q. Do you like being called sexy?
A. Sexy is a general word. You can look innocent and yet
sensuous. In India sexy means just revealing. People have
found the songs that I've done in Sailaab, Beta and Tezaab
very sensuous.
O. How do you reconcile your off-screen middle class
milieu with your on-screen boldness?
A. I've always done things I felt comfortable with. Like in
Parinda, the effect of the love-making scene was very nice,
but we were wearing everything. Only the
hands and shoulders were bare, the backlight was used—so the effect is of some
surface of the body.
O. Did you ever have to struggle to
overcome middle class inhibitions?
A. No. Things like Dhak dhak just happened on the sets. As we kept dancing, it
kept developing. But I regret doing the
kissing scene in Dayavaan. But when you are
new, you don't know if you can tell the
director you don't want to do it. But after
that I put my foot down. I realised that you
can say no.
O. You are doing another Choli number
in Yaarana. Do you think you are getting
typecast as the dancing heroine?
A. Even in the old days, whether it
was Madhubala, Meena Kumari or Nargis,
they all danced. People don't accept a
film without any songs.
O. But your dancing has become so much a part of what
you actually are.
A. Yes, that is one of my plus points.
Q. But don't you think that might stop being a plus point
because people say Madhuri hai to dance hona chahiye?
A. That is bound to happen because it is one of my strong
assets. But I would like to break that.
Q. 7s Prakashjha's Mrityudand an attempt at changing
the image?
A. No, it's not. If I try to break away then I have to do only
different kinds of roles, the parallel cinema, where there is no
dancing at all. But right now, I'm part of the commercial setup and I'm proud of it.
Q. Are you willing to play around with your image?
A. Yes, If you stick to one thing, you will get boring after
some time. Right now, I'm doing one parallel film a year.
Q. Is that to fine-tune your acting talent
or do you find that mainstream gives you
enough opportunity to act?
A. I tell you, mainstream is more difficult
than anything else. To be given unnatural
situations where you have to look convincing, that's very difficult.
Q. Are you number one?
A. See, was Madhubala or Nargis number one or number two? No, they were
Madhubala and Nargisji. We are not inanimate objects to be numbered like that. I'm
Madhuri Dixit and I want to be remembered
as that. And if you feel you're number one,
you stop growing. My best is yet to come.
Q. What are your ambitions?
A. I want to do better work.
Q. Do you think heroines are getting a
better deal today?
A. There was a stage when there were
Mainstream
cinema is more
difficult than
doing parallel
films. Looking
convincing in
unnatural
situations is
not easy."
13G
denizens are notoriously fickle and few have remained
unaffected by stardom and status.
But so far, success has not dampened Madhuri's studentlike passion to learn. The would-be star who rehearsed for 17
days, nine hours a day, for the Tezaab number, still likes to go
over complex dance steps beforehand. "She's not overconfident," says Saroj Khan. "She is probably the only artiste
today who asks for rehearsals."
And perhaps, most surprising, Madhuri remains flexible
on the price issue. She agreed to do Mrityudand without
mostly hero's films. Now the trend is changing. Films like Sir
and Hum Ham Raahi Pyar Ke are doing well. Also, women are
becoming more important, are working outside. Because
people have started accepting women being independent,
actresses also get important roles today,
0. You've always maintained a distance from the press.
What do you have to hide?
A. I've always believed that what I do after pack-up is my
business. I have my family and I'm answerable to them. And
I know that tomorrow if something happens to me, the
person on the street or the journalist will not care. I will have
only my family.
O. Was there something in your reported affair with
Sanjay Dutt?
A. Look, I would rather not talk about it.
Q. Then, were you upset by the way the press splashed it
all over?
A. I stopped being upset by the media a long time ago.
bringing up the subject of money. The film has a total budget of
only Rs 50 lakh. She signed Dil and Beta in the pre-Tezaab days
for Rs 1.5 lakh each and did not ask for more even when Beta
dragged on for four years and shooting was extended. "We
were shooting for Beta after Saajan was released," says
Thakeria, "and there was no mention of money." Indra
Kumar, who is now directing her in Raja, adds: "People ask us
why we always take Madhuri. Well, this is the reason we
always take Madhuri."
Alternative cinema directors are equally excited about her.
Govind Nihalani says he would love to
work with her. Prakash Jha, who has cast
her in his neo-feudalistic Bihar saga,
Mrityudand, a sequel to Damul, can't
believe his luck. In the film, Madhuri plays
the challenging role of a leftist schoolteacher's daughter who marries into a
zamindar family, only to rebel. "When I
narrated the subject, I was amazed at her
understanding," says Jha. "She is confiQ. You once said in a magazine
interview that you've never been
attracted to a man. Is this true?
A. Yes.
Q. So who do you fantasise
about?
A. Well, I used to be a big fan of
Gregory Peck.
Q. What do you imagine Mr
Right would be like?
A. He must be honest, a gentleman, he must have a sense of
humour.
Q. Look into the mirror and
analyse your appeal. What works?
A. I guess a kind of honesty in
what I am and what I do. If a director
tells me to do something, there is no
cynicism on my part. The sincerity
and intensity are there, whether it's
the antakshri scene in Khalnayak
where she's kind of crazy or the court
scene, where she is quiet and has
surrendered. Probably, somewhere
the honesty reaches out.
Q. Your eyes and smile are said to be your biggest
draw....
A. Those are just physical things. You say, the eyes are
beautiful, wow. Okay, but how long can you sustain that? After
a while, what's happening on the screen comes forward. It's
not like if I'm crying, they'll say, 'oh, her eyes are beautiful'.
Q. It must be heady being at the top?
A. Yes, when people come and tell me, especially little
children—I love children—I saw your film, it's a high. But the
important thing is, I'm not in love with myself, with the image. I
won't wear make-up off-screen because people want to see me
that way. I look at acting as a profession, as any other
profession. So if I'm successful, that doesn't make me a goddess.
Q. Do you think you can live without the arc lights?
A. I don't know. Right now, it's easy to say yes, because
I'm warm and safe under the lights. But yes, I could live
without it. I would do something else and probably be
successful at it. Yes, I would survive.
SEPTEMBER 15, 199S » f.VulA T t i U A Y '
COVER STORY
dent she can do this role, and I am confident of her."
But Madhuri also has the basic instinct necessary for
getting to the top. By transferring her cachet of talent and
looks to alternative cinema, she is creating a rich avenue for
growth. And, more important, giving herself a chance to be,
measured against something other than the crass standards
of a commercial hit formula.
Success hasn't come easily. But on the slippery road to
stardom, she's one star who has learnt her lessons well. In
January '84, when she gave a screen test for Rajshri
Productions' Abodh, she was a 12th grade microbiology
student who accepted the assignment for a lark—and less
than Rs 25,000. The film ran for the grand total of four
weeks. Madhuri was considered too thin by buxom industry
standards. As a consequence, she was mostly given sister
roles and second leads (Awara Baap, Swati) and formulae for
putting on weight. Indra Kumar remembers her as a thin girl
in a frock. "We liked her face very much but didn't really
know if she could act. I told her to drink milk with honey and
eggs. Her arms, especially, were too thin."
Things began to look up once
HEROINES
Growing
Prominence
T
HE Hindi movie industry,
never known as an equal
opportunity employer, seems
to be grudgingly accepting female
(read heroine) power now. While
most heroines still begin as ornaments, a few break away from the
herd to achieve unheard-of status.
The credit for the altered attitudes
clearly goes to Sridevi in recent times.
With thunder thighs and monster
hits, Sridevi stormed every bastion of a (Clockwise from above)
male-dominated world in the early Sridevi, Juhi, Pooja Bhatt
'80s. Churning out hits such as Tohfa,
Himmatwala, Nagina and Mr India in succession, she broke
With a series of recent hits
the price barrier, asking for and getting up to Rs 40 lakh a behind her (Bo/ Radha Bol, Lootere,
film (Rekha, number one before her, peaked at Rs 20 lakh). Hum Hain Raahi PyarKe), the Rs20-lakh Juhi Chawlahas
The producers also had to pick up her hotel tab since, until also raced ahead. Introduced by Mukul Anand in
recently, she did not have a home in Bombay.
Sultanat, she has grown into a fine actress. She has
Films were and still are written around Sridevi and she several big films such as Yash Chopra's Darr and David
dominated the screen, even when paired with leading Dhawan's Eena Meena Deeka in the pipeline. Her only
heroes. Films such as Chalbaaz (with Sunny Deol and drawback is her baby-doll image. "Juhi lacks physical
Rajnikanth), and Chandni (with Vinod Khanna and Rishi appeal.'' says Anand. "She's not sexy.'' But the actress is
Kapoor) were her shows. Industry wags often referred to tackling that problem. Lootere had her prancing on the
Sridevi's '87 hit, Mr India, as Mrs India. She was th,e first and, beach wearing only a white shirt.
to date, only actress to be called, 'the female Amitabh
The rest—Pooja Bhatt, Manisha Koirala, Karisma
Bachchan'. Though currently on a downward slide, she Kapoor—are still at the ornamental stage. They charge
still commands the same price. "There are some roles that between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh and are mostly
only Sri can do," says a leading director. "There is no one interchangeable. Pooja has had several big hits, mostly
who can match her acting calibre."
courtesy her father, Mahesh Bhatt. But she, like Pooja Bedi,
Today, Madhuri Dixit is geared to carry the torch. Her continues to make waves more with her colourful personal
price rivals that of leading heroes. Her '92 hit Beta was life rather than performances. Industry buzz is that Koirala,
dubbed Beti. Her clout, though she is less inclined to use it with Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 1942: A Love Story up her
than Sridevi, is also considerable.
sleeve, is the woman to watch.
—ANUPAMA CHANDRA
SEPTEMBER 15, 1993 » I N D I A TODAY
133
COVER STORY
FAWZAN HUSAIN
Madhuri with her parents: a private person after pack-up
she bumped into Subhash Ghai in '86 and he asked her to
perform a dance number in Karma. She met Anil Kapoor
while shooting the number. The dance didn't make it past the
editing table but Madhuri had found several mentors. Boney
Kapoor recommended her to director Bapu—with whom she
started Bajrangi opposite Anil Kapoor. It was never completed. But by then Subhash Ghai and the Kapoor brothers
had begun to chart out her career. Rakesh Nath, who was
then Anil's secretary, was asked to look after her dates. She
took diction classes and Anil's wife, Suneeta, gave her tips on
style. Lectures on her figure, make-up, marketing herself,
character and professionalism were thrown in for free.
Y the end of 1986, five pages of advertisements featuring
the all-new Madhuri Dixit appeared in Screen. They
announced her comeback and that nine film makers,
including Shashi Kapoor, Yash Chopra and N.N. Sippy, had
signed her up. Anil Kapoor signed five films with her and
promoted her heavily, with the aim of forming a successful
star pair. "I was hard-selling her so much that most of my
other heroines stopped talking to me," he remembers. But it
worked. The industry godfathers ensured that Madhuri's
B
136
I N D I A TODAY » SEPTEMBER 15. 1993
career had been aimed in the right direction:
towards unmistakable stardom.
Director N. Chandra signed her for Tezaab,
Vidhu Vinod Chopra for Parinda, Feroz Khan
for Dayavaan and Indra Kumar for Dil and
Beta. None of it, however, seemed enough.
Madhuri's films bombed consecutively. The
original producers backed out. "Everyone
thought I had introduced the wrong girl,"
says Ghai. Adds Anil Kapoor: "I got a little
scared. I thought, 'yeh apne aap to dubegi,
mereko bhi saath le dubegi' (Not only will she
drown, but will also take me down with her)."
But in November '88 Tezaab was released, and
the ek, do, teen girl became an overnight star.
Beta only reinforced her status. Her no-holdsbarred performance, combined with the Dhak
dhak number, had her critics in ecstasy and the
cash registers ringing.
Equally fortuitously, Madhuri was at the
right place at the right time. With the right
goods. Through the '80s, while Madhuri
struggled, cinema was grappling with the
onslaught of the video. The reliable formulae—angry young man, and if that didn't
work, multi-starrers—had run their course.
Film makers were desperate for a winning
horse. Though heroines seldom make a film
run, Madhuri and her dances became a
saleable point. The songs replayed on radio
and television made her a cult figure. The
same holds true even today. A week after
Khalnayak's release, a theatre manager in
Lucknow said: "Many people can be seen
making a beeline for the exit as soon as Choli
draws to an end."
Madhuri ultimately clicked because her inherent talent was combined with immense personal ambition. She evolved from a slim, almost plain-looking teenager with a bad complexion and no connections, to a superstar.
"She was very confident," remembers Boney Kapoor. She
was also very determined. "For other girls, acting is just one of
the things they do," says Mukul Anand. "They fool around,
have affairs. For Madhuri, work is the only thing. Look at her
physically. Nine years and there is not an inch of extra flesh on
her. She's maintained her stability in both body and mind."
Pursuing her goal with single-minded devotion,
Madhuri did what was necessary to cover up her flaws—
when the pimples started creating havoc (Ram Lakhan closeups had to be reshot), she got treatment in the US. Today,
with clearer skin and even more confidence, Madhuri's
screen presence rivals Sridevi's.
The danger which always lurks around Bollywood's
darker corners is that she will get typecast as a dancing
sensation. Having worked towards number one for nine
years, Madhuri is not entirely comfortable with the label,
insisting that she is not bound by her screen image. But her
biggest challenge clearly lies in whether she can change that
image or, ironically, because of the success and sensation of
the Choli song, remain stuck in the bump-and-grind groove.
But what she does have in abundance is an effervescence
and talent which, combined with carefully crafted upward
mobility, has transformed her into the star of the '90s.
There's clearly more behind the choli than most people are
fantasising about.
—with bureau reports