Friday, January 23, 2009

Madhuri Dixit: Gets the Padma Shri

Madhuri Dixit, Bollywood’s original dhak-dhak girl got the Padma Shri for her contribution to Indian cinema. She came to receive it on May 10 from Florida with husband Dr Sriram Nene. The couple’s children didn't accompany them. Which is a pity, because May 15 is Madhuri’s birthday, and there will be a dinner with family and close friends. Madhuri is delighted with this double celebration. Talking from Florida, where she has settled down, she said excitedly, “Everyone works hard and to be acknowledged for it is a huge thing. I am honoured. As a young girl, I thought the Padma Shri was accorded only to scientists. Awards are important, but I never aspired for any, I just put my best foot forward.” Madhuri’s comeback film last November, Aaja Nachle, bombed at the box office, but that did nothing to dent her image in Bollywood or diminish her considerable fan following. In fact M F Husain, her greatest admirer, while expressing disappointment over the film blamed its failure on filmmaker Yash Chopra. Madhuri defended the film, “Husain saab must have expected more from it, but I don’t believe in blame games. Everyone worked hard on the film and I had fun doing it. You win some and lose some. Filmmaking is unpredictable business.” Was it true that the Barjatyas are planning a sequel to that delightful entertainer, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, in which Madhuri and Salman Khan will be shown 15 years older? “If the news is true, this too will be so much fun,” replied the Padma Shri actress enthusiastically. Madhuri Dixit (born as Madhuri Shankar Dixit to a Marathi family on May 15, 1967) is a five-time Filmfare Awards winning Indian Bollywood actress. She is a native of Mumbai, India. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she dominated Hindi cinema as a leading actress, appearing in many hit films. She is considered to be an icon of the Bollywood film industry.Madhuri, born to Shankar and Snehlata Dixit, married an Indian-American, UCLA trained cardiovascular surgeon who practices in Denver, Dr. Sriram Madhav Nene, in 1999, also from a Marathi Koknastha Brahmin family. She has two sons, Arin (born in March 2003 in Colorado) and Ryan (born on March 8, 2005 in Colorado).She has two elder sisters, Rupa and Bharati, and an elder brother, Ajit. Madhuri now lives with Dr. Nene and her two children in Denver, Colorado, USA.Dixit attended Parle College and wanted to be a micro-biologist.She is trained as a Kathak dancer, in the Indian classical tradition. She made her acting debut in "Abodh" (1984). After a few minor and supporting roles her first major role was in "Tezaab" (1988) which launched her career. She then went on to star in the hit films "Dayavan" (1988), "Ram Lakhan" (1989), "Dil" (1990), "Saajan" (1991), "Beta" (1992), "Khalnayak" (1993), and the Bollywood blockbuster "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun". (1994).After three years of little success, she appeared as Pooja in the successful "Dil To Pagal Hai" (1997) for which she won her fourth Filmfare Best Actress Award.She is considered to be the most popular and powerful actress ever in Bollywood, known for her beauty, acting talents, and dancing skills. Her dance sequence in the many songs, such as, Ek Do Teen (Film Tezaab), Bada Dukh Dina (Film Ram Lakhan), Dhak Dhak (Film Beta), Chane Ke Kheth Mein (Film Anjaam), Choli Ke Peechche (Film Khalnayak), Akhiyan Milau (Film Raja), Piya Ghar Aya (Film Yaarana), Key Sera (Film Pukar), Mardala (Film Devdas) etc., received critical acclaim. Her dancing skills, facial grimaces and expressive eyes in the songs has haunted the hearts of millions of viewers ever since.In 2001, Dixit was awarded the National Citizens Award to recognize various activities that effect everyday life.In 2002, she starred in "Devdas", with actor Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Madhuri Dixit was applauded for her acting in the film. The film attracted worldwide attention and was featured at the Cannes Film Festival.Since then she has not appeared in any films.On February 25, 2006 she performed on stage for the first time in six years at the Filmfare Awards to music from her last movie "Devdas". Her performance was choreographed by Saroj Khan and was very well received.Madhuri Dixit has been the muse for the famous Indian painter M.F. Hussain who considers her the epitome of the Indian woman. She also appeared in his film "Gaja Gamini"(2000). "Gaja Gamini" was intended as a tribute to Dixit's talent and beauty.On December 7, 2006, Dixit returned to Mumbai along with her husband and sons in order to start to film her new movie titled "Aaja Nachle", to be produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Anil Mehta.●

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