by ASJAD NAZIR
BOLLYWOOD icon Madhuri Dixit turns a year older this week and celebrates her 54th birthday on May 15. The best way to celebrate this occasion is to add some of her most magnificent work to your lockdown watchlist.
Eastern Eye presents her top 10 films, which show why she became a queen.
Tezaab (1988): The biggest Bollywood blockbuster of that year was responsible for turning Madhuri Dixit into a huge star and it was largely thanks to the iconic Ek Do Teen track, which remains one of the greatest musical numbers in Hindi cinema history. The action-romance started a dream on-screen partnership between Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor, which would result in a number of unforgettable classics.
Dil (1990): The most successful Bollywood release of 1990 saw Madhuri star opposite Aamir Khan in an interesting romance about two star-crossed lovers, who go from fighting to falling in love and rebelling against their warring parents. The pleasant mix of comedy, romance and emotion connected with audiences in a big way. It would later be remade in various languages.
Saajan (1991): The highest grossing Bollywood film of that year is an interesting love triangle that has shades of classic French novel Cyrano De Bergerac. Madhuri stars alongside Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan in the musical romance, which is loaded with blockbuster songs and weighs up true love versus friendship.
Beta (1992): Marvellous Madhuri delivered one of the finest performances of her career in the multi-award-winning blockbuster, which would become the biggest hit of 1992. She plays the razor-sharp witted woman, who marries a wealthy simpleton, played brilliantly by Anil Kapoor and tries to protect him from the scheming stepmother after his fortune. What follows is a battle between two powerful women and a movie that would influence so many TV soap operas.
Khalnayak (1993): The second most successful film of 1993 is an all-time classic, which saw the actress play a police officer who goes on the trail of a notorious criminal and joins him undercover. The multi-layered thriller, which also stars Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff, is a mass entertainer with a little bit of everything, including legendary musical number Choli Ke Peeche, which Madhuri performed brilliantly.
Dil Tera Aashiq (1993): The feel-good romantic comedy doesn’t get the credit it deserves and that is why it is included in this top 10, ahead of bigger successes. It is special because Madhuri takes on the kind of character that had previously been played by leading men, including Shammi Kapoor in Professor (1962). She is brilliant as a young woman, who pretends to be an old lady to get the job of a governess. What follows is a great comedy of errors and sparkling chemistry with Salman Khan.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994): The fun family drama smashed box office records when it released and became the highest grossing Bollywood film in history. The colourful musical would pretty much influence every Indian wedding that followed. Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan are superb in the lead roles of a film loaded with many memorable moments, including marvellous musical numbers.
Anjaam (1994): The actress starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the powerful film of an avenging angel who goes on a mission to take revenge on her stalker. The actress exuded raw power in a movie that showed off her impressive acting range. In between the revenge story, she also found time to deliver another breath-taking dance number with Chane Ke Khet Mein.
Dil To Pagal Hain (1997): The highest grossing movie of that year won a whole stack of awards and delighted audiences around the world. The Yash Chopra directed romance, which also stars Shah Rukh Khan and Karisma Kapoor, is pure love. The story of two individuals falling in love, while rehearsing a play has great music, top drawer performances and a central character in Madhuri that pretty much every woman connected with in some way.
Devdas (2002): The last high-profile movie Madhuri acted in before taking a long break is an opulent adaptation of Sarat Chandra’s much-loved novel. The Sanjay Leela Bhansali drama revolves around a heartbroken man who seeks solace in alcohol and forms an unexpected connection with a kind-hearted courtesan played by Madhuri Dixit. Not surprisingly, the film won a load of awards and was the most successful one of that year.
