The Sweet Hereafter

The going's good, says Madhuri Dixit

It's a hard day's job ahead. But Madhuri Dixit isn't complaining. Because she's already looking forward to her holiday. "It's been six months since I've seen my husband. I'm getting withdrawal symptoms. I need to get away," she squeals.
The buzz is that the actress is tying up all the loose threads. That she's planning to give it all up to settle down happily ever after with her miya in the states. "Really? I didn't know this," she smirks. "Who is spreading such rumors? I've no such plans. Okay, so I'm completing my backlog but that doesn't mean anything. One journalist even asked me that if I wasn't planning to leave, why I was hurrying up with shooting of Devdas. The simple reason is that I'll only return in July. The monsoons will have set in. And the set will be ruined by then. Frankly, that's THE reason."
Curling her eyelashes, Madhuri states that her career is coasting along merrily. So there's no reason to leave. Says she, "Who says there's no life for an actress after marriage? I've got some of the best offers after my marriage. There are so many offers that I don't know what to choose and what to reject. It's a tough decision to make. Right now, I have about 10 amazing scripts waiting. Unfortunately, I can do only three or four of them. And that's frustrating because I want to do all of them." That roles are being written specifically for her overwhelms her. She narrates some of the scripts that've come her way. They sure are different from the regular stuff.
"It really feels great to be the first choice," she gushes. "It's certainly a heady feeling to know that I've inspired directors. Film-makers are willing to experiment with me within the commercial format. And that's a good sign."
Clearly, her marriage to Sriram Nene hasn't been a limiting factor. She avers,

"I've always believed that marriage is no hurdle. It's a myth that a heroine loses her appeal after she ties the knot. And if previously actresses have given up working after their marriage, it's been their personal choice. No one has forced them out. Married actresses like Kajol, Juhi and myself are doing rather well."
Madhuri has been working at a blistering pace in the past six months. Her enthusiasm levels even after 15 years in the industry are sky high. It's her love for the art that has kept her going, she points out. "The moment you feel that you have done it all, it's the end for you. That's what has happened with other actresses too. To me each day is new. I feel I'm just about beginning to discover myself via the movies. I'm getting good roles. I'm just getting into the groove. And frankly, make-up can be quite addictive. You can't just give it all up."
Right now, the actress is gung ho about Rajkumar Santoshi's Lajja and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas. Ask her what prompted her to do Lajja which already has a galaxy of stars and she says, "I have a great role. In fact, all the roles are like candles in a room. They have their own brilliance. They've been etched out perfectly. Every character has a story. So there's no question of anyone overshadowing the other."
Vis-a-vis Devdas, she feels that it's probably one of best roles of her career. "It's something I haven't done before. The feel of the film is magical. The sets are awesome. And we've had a great time shooting the film. One of the songs was choreographed by Kathak maestro Birju Mahahraj. Working with him was a dream come true."

Next: she gets into an animated discussion with the dress designer about the look for the photo-shoot. Discussion over, I want to know what went wrong between her one-time admirer M.F.Hussain and her. How come he's switched loyalties to Sushmita Sen for his next film?
Shrugging her shoulders she ripostes, "We never had any agreement that he'll only work with me. I'm sure even he's aware that I can't do every movie that comes my way. But please, there's nothing wrong between us. I still admire and respect him. He still comes over to my place. We talk over the phone regularly. Where's the question of a misunderstanding?"
The above controversy notwithstanding, Madhuri Dixit is known for her down-to-earth nature. Even her one-time bitter opponent Manisha Koirala is singing praises of the actress after working with her in Lajja. What's this Madhuri Magic that her co-stars keep talking about?
She lets out a refined laugh, "There's no magic wagic. I guess, I'm normal. That's what they all like about me. I'm good at my job. And I'm easy to get along with. And my co-stars like to work with me because I create a pleasant working atmosphere. I don't know how to behave starry. And thank god for that."
Remind her about Manisha Koirala's turn around and she smiles warmly, "People had been filling Manisha's ears. All those things she said about me were based on hearsay. She hadn't met me so she believed whatever was told to her. I don't go by hearsay. Even when we met on the sets, I didn't have anything against her. She realized that I'm not manipulative or a scheming bitch. She saw me for what I am and all her misgivings just vanished."
Okay, I've got to ask her this one, just for the record. Why isn't she doing Anupam Kher's Om Jai Jagdish? She explains, "I couldn't work out the dates. They wanted to finish the film by August. I'm not here. Right now my priority is to go to America. I couldn't chuck that for a movie. Frankly, I have no regrets. At this moment, I'm just dying to meet my husband."
Talk about marital affairs then. Madhuri confesses that the one perfect moment in her life was when her husband literally went down on his knees and proposed to her.

But does a long distance marriage work? Yes, she says with experience. "But you need two strong people for that. When we are away we miss each other so much that our meetings become all the more intense. We understand each other completely."
Elaborating on her perfect relationship, she adds, "There are times when he's working for 40 hours at a stretch. He comes home wanting to take me out for dinner. And I know he's dying to sleep. I just tell him to go to bed. He can't believe that I can be so understanding. After all, as an actress I know what it's like to work for hours at a stretch. As I said, it takes two to make a marriage work."
Talking about Sriram Nene brings a flush to her face. Surely, it's a topic after her heart. And she talks 19 to 200. One-and-a- half years after her marriage, her heart still misses a beat each time she thinks of him. "That's because I still think of him as my boyfriend," she grins. "I guess that's a sure-shot way to keep the marriage alive."
Madhuri is amused by the continuous rumors of her pregnancy in the media. "As I said somewhere, I've been two months pregnant for the last seven months," she grins. "Really, I've been hounded by these rumors. It's not funny, anymore. Once an extra came upto and told me shyly, `Even I'm pregnant.' I had a bewildered look on my face and she smiled, "Even you are pregnant, no?' I was aghast."
Ask her if she's planning a family in the near future and she glares at me, "Why should it concern anyone when I'm planning to have a baby? Sure, I'd love to have a baby someday. But I'm not going to shout about it from the rooftops. Anyway, when I'm pregnant, you'll get to know. How long can I hide it?"
Just then, she's called for the shot. She glides in front of the camera radiating the resoluteness that has characterized many of her memorable performances. Vignettes of her movies flash in my mind. And I wonder whether she remembers the little girl in Abodh? "Of course, I do. It was me," she chuckles ebbing into the settee.
Getting nostalgic she continues, "It all seems so far back. It's been such a long journey. I started out with nothing. And over the years I've collected a big baggage of memories. I've seen ups and downs. I remember being written off by the critics. But I never held it against them. The fact that I could change their opinion about me is my victory. It's these small triumphs that inspire me to get ahead."

Anuradha Choudhary