Madhuri Dixit Nene is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. A leading actress of Indian cinema, she has appeared in over 70 films. Noted by critics for her beauty, dancing skills, and characters, Dixit was credited for singularly paralleling her male contemporaries and leading star vehicles in a male-dominated industry. She was among the country's highest-paid celebrities throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, and has featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since its inception in 2012. Her accolades include six Filmfare Awards from a record 17 nominations. In 2008, the Government of India awarded her with Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country.

Born and raised in Mumbai, Dixit made her acting debut in 1984 with a leading role in the drama Abodh. After a few successive commercially failed films, she rose to prominence with the action drama Tezaab (1988), and established herself with starring roles in the top-grossing romantic dramas Dil (1990), Beta (1992), Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), and Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). She won four Filmfare Awards for Best Actress for her performances in them. Her other commercially successful films during this period include Ram Lakhan (1989), Tridev (1989), Thanedaar (1990), Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), Saajan (1991), Khalnayak (1993), and Raja (1995).

Apart from Dixit's mainstream success, she earned appreciation from critics for her performances in Prem Pratigyaa (1989), Parinda (1989), Anjaam (1994), Mrityudand (1997), Pukar (2000), Lajja (2001), and Devdas (2002). She received the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the lattermost. Following a sabbatical from acting in 2002, Dixit made a brief comeback by starring in the musical Aaja Nachle (2007), and worked intermittently over the next decades. Her highest-grossing release came with the adventure comedy Total Dhamaal (2019), and she continued to gain praise for starring in the black comedy Dedh Ishqiya (2014) and the Netflix web series The Fame Game (2022).

In addition to acting in films, she has been engaged in philanthropic activities. She has worked with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate the rights of children and prevent child labour, participates in concert tours and stage shows, and is the co-founder of the production company RnM Moving Pictures. Her television work includes featuring frequently as a talent judge for dance reality shows. Since 1999, she has been married to Shriram Nene, with whom she has two sons Arin and Ryan.

Early life and background

Madhuri Dixit was born on 15 May 1967 into a Marathi Kokanastha Brahmin family in Bombay (present-day Mumbai) to Shankar and Snehlata Dixit. She has two elder sisters and an elder brother. She kindled an interest in dance at an early age of three, and went on to train in Kathak for eight years; later on becoming a professionally trained Kathak dancer.

I received a scholarship as a Kathak dancer when I was nine. I even remember that it was due to a dance performance that the first time my name had appeared in the paper. I was seven or eight years old at that time and had performed at the Guru Purnima festival. And there was a journalist who was there and he had written this article saying that 'this little girl stole the show' – something like that. I was over the moon. So dance gave me a sense of achievement. Of worth."

Dixit received her education at Divine Child High School in Andheri. Apart from her studies, she participated in extra-curricular activities, such as dramatics. Aspiring to become a microbiologist, Dixit enrolled at the Sathaye college in Vile Parle (Mumbai) where she studied microbiology as one of her subjects in BSc. However, six months after she had commenced her course, Dixit decided to discontinue studies and pursue a full-time career in films.

Acting career

1980s: Early roles, breakthrough and recognition

Dixit made her cinema debut in 1984 with Rajshri Productions' drama Abodh, opposite Bengali actor, Tapas Paul. Upon release, the film failed 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.” Her only release of 1985 – Awara Baap – flopped at the box office. During this time, a monochrome photograph of hers, shot by Gautam Rajadhyaksha was featured on the cover of the then popular magazine Debonair and she appeared as the cover girl of Filmfare in April 1986.

Dixit's next four releases were the dramas Swati (1986), Manav Hatya (1986), Hifazat (1987) and Uttar Dakshin (1987). None of these films performed well either critically or commercially. Hifazat marked Dixit's first of several collaborations with Anil Kapoor. In 1988, Dixit had film releases; two of them —Mohre, and Khatron Ke Khiladi —were commercial failures.

In 1988, Dixit acted in Dayavan which was a commercially successful movie. In her next movie from the same year she finally attained recognition when she played Mohini, an impoverished and miserable woman, who is forced to dance to make 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 for Best Actress nomination; the film's success established Dixit as a leading actress of Hindi cinema, and marked a significant turning point in her career. Akshay Shah of Planet Bollywood wrote, "Madhuri Dixit also gives a fine tuned performance. Though she is more remembered for her crowd pleasing dance act Ek Do Teen, her acting needs to be noted, specially in the scenes where she is pitted against Anupam Kher."

1990s: Rise to prominence and widespread success

In 1990, Dixit appeared in nine films. Five of them—Maha-Sangram, Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin, Jeevan Ek Sanghursh, Sailaab and Jamai Raja—were commercially unsuccessful. 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 separated at birth and re-unite in their youth. Dixit and Shirodkar played the love interests of Kapoor's characters. It was the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year in India.[35] Dixit next played a strong-willed woman in the box-office average action drama Izzatdaar. She won her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress for portraying Madhu, a rich and arrogant girl who falls in love with a poorer boy, in Indra Kumar's romantic drama Dil opposite Aamir Khan. It emerged as the highest-grossing film of the year. Rediff.com hailed her performance, commenting “..she showed her range as a performer. She breathed fire as the rebellious lover defying her family, or the forlorn estranged wife longing to be with her ailing better half.” Dixit's final release of the year was the action drama Thanedaar, opposite Dutt, which was another commercial hit.

In 1991, Dixit had five film releases, the first of which was the romance Pyar Ka Devta. She next starred alongside Jackie Shroff in the psychological thriller 100 Days. She played Devi, a clairvoyant woman who has a vision of a murder and sets out to uncover the truth. The film was a moderately successful. She next starred in Saajan opposite Dutt and Salman Khan. A major critical and commercial success, the film earned Dixit praise for her portrayal of Pooja Saxena, who is in love with her idol – Sagar. She received her fourth Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for her work in the film. T. Rama Rao's Pratikar and Nana Patekar's Prahaar were her other releases.

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.

2010s: Comebacks and sporadic work

Dixit relocated to India with her family in 2011 and was felicitated by Filmfare with a special jury recognition for completing 25 years in the Indian film industry. In 2013, Dixit made a special appearance in the romantic comedy drama Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani as 'Mohini', a callback to her character from the 1988 film Tezaab. Dixti appeared in the item song "Ghagra" alongside 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 opened to positive response from critics who called it "one of the year's most important releases". Anupama Chopra called Dixit "compelling", while Deepanjana Pal of Firstpost wrote "She's still capable of keeping an audience glued to their seats when the credits start rolling, all because she's dancing on screen.". The film earned Dixit her fourteenth nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Dedh Ishqiya earned little at the box-office.

Her next release of the year was debutant director Soumik Sen's Gulaab Gang, alongside Juhi Chawla. Dixit portrayed Rajjo, the leader of a women's activist group, inspired by the real vigilante activist Sampat Pal Devi and her group Gulabi Gang. Pal filed a case against the film claiming that the makers did not take permission to make a film on her life, but the court later lifted the stay from the film. To prepare for her role, Dixit practised Shaolin Kung fu, stick training, and close combat. Gulaab Gang failed at the box office, earning mixed reviews. Subhash K. Jha labelled Dixit's performance and demeanour "inconsistent". However, Sampat Pal claimed that in Dixit's character she finds a "reflection of her own life so stark" that it makes her feel "it was she on screen". The film was a box-office failure.

Four years later, Dixit made her debut in Marathi Cinema with the comedy drama Bucket List. She played Madhura Sane, a middle aged housewife who takes the initiative to complete the bucket list of her deceased teenage heart donor. Dixit garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal; Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India wrote “Madhuri owns the film and sails through it with flying colours.” Kunal Guha of Mumbai Mirror said, “Madhuri Dixit long-overdue debut in Marathi cinema is a comfort watch even if a tad predictable and sappy.”

Dixit reunited with Anil Kapoor and Ajay Devgn in Indra Kumar's adventure comedy Total Dhamaal (2019). She portrayed Bindu Patel, who along with a group of people learns about a hidden treasure and then races to claim it. The film received mixed to negative reviews, however, Dixit's performance received a mixed-to-positive reception. Lakshana N Palat of India Today wrote: “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.” Total Dhamaal emerged as a major commercial success at the box office, grossing more than ₹200 crore (US$25 million) worldwide, and ranks as the ninth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Dixit produced the Marathi Netflix drama 15 August under her production company RnM Moving Pictures. In an interview with Scroll.in, Dixit said, "The film is about the freedom to love, the freedom to choose your career and the freedom to die".

She next starred in Abhishek Varman's period romantic drama Kalank, featuring an ensemble cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sanjay Dutt. Set in the 1940s prior to the partition of India, the film featured her as Bahaar Begum, the madam of a brothel. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV wrote, “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; however, she gained a third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Dixit was the lead actress in the 2022 Netflix series The Fame Game.

Media image

Dixit featured in Box Office India's Top Actresses list for ten consecutive years (1988–97). In 2001, Forbes placed her at fifth position in the list of "top five most powerful Indian film stars". In 2002 and 2014, Dixit featured in Rediff's annual "Top Bollywood actresses" listing. She has been featured frequently on other Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses", “Bollywood's Best Actresses Ever” and "Top 10 Bollywood Actresses of all Time". The Economic Times featured her in the list of "33 women who made India proud" in 2010. In 1997, the Government of Andhra Pradesh honoured her with the "Kalabhinetri Award". In 2001, Dixit was awarded the National Citizens' Award for her work and contribution to Indian cinema. In 2008, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri for her contribution to Indian Cinema. The Sathyabama University honoured her as the "Inspiring Icon of India" in 2015. An unauthorised biography of her named Madhuri Dixit, written by professor Nandana Bose was released in 2019.

Dixit is frequently referred to as one of the most attractive Indian celebrities and has been described as a sex symbol. Her eyes, sex appeal and urban looks have been cited by the media as her distinctive features; her smile being identified as her trademark. She featured in The Times of India's list of 50 Beautiful Faces of cinema and Hindustan Times called her "a classic Indian beauty". Her look and performances have established her as a style icon. In 2007, 2013–16 and 2018, the UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her as one of "World's Sexiest Asian Women".

Sangestar Tso lake in Arunachal Pradesh was renamed Madhuri Lake after her, where a song from Koyla was picturised. She has a star named after her in the Orion constellation. In March 2012, a wax figure of Dixit was put on display in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum. In 2017, two other figures were displayed at Madame Tussaud's Museum in Singapore and Delhi. Every year since its inception in 2012, Dixit has featured on Forbes India's "Celebrity 100," a list based on the income and popularity of India's celebrities with the exception of 2017. In 2018, she was among the twenty Indians invited for the Oscar Academy's Class of 2018

Personal life

Amidst media speculation on her personal life, Dixit married Shriram Madhav Nene, a cardiovascular surgeon from Los Angeles, California on 17 October 1999, in a traditional ceremony held at the residence of Dixit's elder brother in Southern California. Nene had never seen any of her films, and was unaware of her celebrity status. Dixit explained their relationship by saying, “It was very important that he didn't know me as an actress because then he would know me as a person first. When people have seen you as an actress, they have pre-conceived notions... None of it was there here with him. I found the right person, I wanted to get married and I did.” Dixit and Nene's wedding reception in Mumbai was attended by several prominent Indian personalities, including then CM of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh, Shivsena chief Bal Thackeray, Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, Yash Chopra, Sridevi, and many others.

Following her marriage, Dixit relocated to Denver, Colorado, for over a decade. On 17 March 2003, Dixit gave birth to a son, Arin. Two years later, on 8 March 2005, she gave birth to another son, Ryan. She described motherhood as "amazing" and added that her kids kept "the child in her alive".

Dixit moved back to Mumbai with her family in October 2011. Speaking about it, Dixit said, “I always love being here. I have grown up here in Mumbai so for me it is like coming back home. It was a different phase in my life, where I wanted to have a home, family, husband and children... everything that I had dreamt of.”

In 2018, Dixit along with her husband, founded the production company, RnM Moving Pictures. They both also together earned orange belts in taekwondo.

Accolades

Dixit has received six Filmfare Awards from a record seventeen nominations, including four Best Actress awards for Dil (1990), Beta (1992), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun! (1994) and Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Devdas (2002). She earned a Filmfare Special Award for completing twenty-five years in the Indian film industry. In 2008, she was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian civilian award, by the Government of India for her contributions to the arts.