From making her debut in Marathi films to featuring in brilliant dance numbers to slaying with her million dollar smile, Madhuri Dixit has ticked off all from her bucket list. As the actress turns 53 today, we take you through a pictorial tour of her life and journey in Bollywood so far.
Madhuri was born on May 15, 1967, to Shankar and Snehlata Dixit. She is the youngest of four and has two sisters, Rupa and Bharathi, and a brother, Ajit.
Madhuri is a trained Kathak dancer. At one point of time in her life she wanted to become a microbiologist. But destiny had other plans.
In 1999, Madhuri Dixit married Dr Shriram Nene, a cardiovascular surgeon from Denver. Madhuri moved to the US for many years and the couple have two sons, Arin and Raayan.
Films happened to Madhuri by chance. She appeared in her first movie, Abodh, in 1984 opposite Bengali actor Tapas Pal. The movie, which was made by Sooraj Barjatya, didn't do well at the box office.
After Abodh, Madhuri was relegated to minor roles in movies like Vardi and Dayavan, in which she had a risque scene with Vinod Khanna.
Almost four years after her debut, Madhuri was just Ek, Do, Teen steps away from superstardom. She finally got her big break with Tezaab in 1988 and scored her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Tezaab made the Madhuri-Anil Kapoor jodi hugely popular and the two were seen together in other hit movies like Ram Lakhan, Parinda and Kishen Kanhaiya.
In 1990, Madhuri did Indra Kumar's Dil, which was her first movie with Aamir Khan. She played the role of a rich, arrogant girl in the film. Dil went on to become a huge success at the box office and Madhuri won her first Filmfare Best Actress Award.
The very next year, Madhuri starred in love triangle Saajan with Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan. The movie became a huge hit as did its soundtrack.
By this time Madhuri had found her niche in Bollywood. The actress continued her winning streak with Beta opposite Anil Kapoor, which fetched her second Filmfare Best Actress Award.
Her sultry dance moves in the song Dhak Dhak Karne Laga from Beta took her from girl next door to seductress.
After Beta, she appeared in a string of moderately successful films like Khel, Prem Diwane, Sangeet and Dharavi.
In 1993, came Subhash Ghai's Khalnayak, which again had a hit dance number, the risque Choli Ke Peeche. The movie also starred Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff.
Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Aapke Hain Koun! released in 1994 and became one of the biggest blockbusters ever in the history of Hindi cinema. Salman Khan playing the male lead, won Madhuri her third Filmfare Best Actress Award.
Madhuri was also nominated in the same category for her performance in revenge drama Anjaam, in which she starred in a quasi-negative role opposite Shah Rukh Khan.
In 1997, Madhuri appeared in Yash Chopra's Dil To Paagal Hai. The film, which also starred Shah Rukh Khan and Karisma Kapoor, set cash registers ringing and Madhuri won her fourth Filmfare Best Actress award.
Despite her huge commercial success, Madhuri didn't shy away from experimenting with art house movies. She signed Prakash Jha's Mrityudand. It won the Best Feature Film award at the Cinema Tout Ecran in Geneva and the Bangkok Film Festival. Her performance in the film landed her the Best Actress award at the annual Star Screen Awards.
After getting married, Madhuri took a break from Bollywood. She returned to the big screen as Chandramukhi in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas (2002) and won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance.
Artist M F Husain considered Madhuri Dixit his muse and directed her in the movie Gaja Gamini. Several of his paintings were inspired by Madhuri's role in Hum Aapke Hai Koun! .
Madhuri made what was meant to be a grand return to the big screen with Aaja Nachle in 2007. The movie did not click with the audience.
In 2008, Madhuri received the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award for her contribution to the Indian cinema.
In 2013, Madhuri made a special appearance in a song for the film Bombay Talkies and was also seen shaking a leg with Ranbir Kapoor in the song Ghagra from his film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.
She was next seen in Vishal Bhardwaj's Dedh Ishqiya, the sequel to his 2010 hit film Ishqiya. Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi reprised their roles from the first film and Madhuri's performance was very well-received. A few months later the same year Madhuri appeared in Gulaab Gang where she took on her 90's rival Juhi Chawla as a pink saree clad vigilante group leader. The film tanked at the box office.
Madhuri also judged dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, So You Think You Can Dance and Dance Deewane.
Madhuri Dixit debuted in Marathi films with Bucket List. Madhuri starred as a house-wife-turned-adventure-seeker in the movie, which released on May 25, 2018.
Madhuri Dixit's last films were Kalank and Total Dhamaal, both of which released last year. She co-starred with Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Aditya Roy Kapur in Kalank.
Happy Birthday to Madhuri Dixit. We wish her a great year ahead.
