News about Madhuri's marriage

Finally, a naayak to match the ek do teen girl

Komal Nahata

 Two months after the Ek do teen girl broke ek do teen million hearts with news of her marriage to a non-resident Indian doctor, Madhuri Dixit's parents threw a party to celebrate the wedding of their daughter, youngest of a family of three sisters and one brother. The venue was The Club, a happening place in the suburbs of Bombay.

Invitations for the wedding reception on December 18 had been carefully sent out. Besides her relatives and family friends, only close friends from the industry and people with whom Madhuri had worked were invited. Press photographers were strictly kept out.

As if the secret marriage wasn't bad enough for the prying press, the lensmen were kept at bay at the reception too. In fact, not a single picture of her hubby, Dr Shriram Nene, had been given to the press for two whole months. The excitement to see the new naayak was, therefore, all the more.

It was the marriage of the millennium, as far as Bollywood was concerned. The heart-throb of millions in India and the world over, Madhuri Dixit, got married to Dr Nene on October 17 in the United States. Her saajan must have come like a khalnayak in the lives of her countless fans, many of whose dils went dhak dhak at the very mention of the name of their favourite heroine of more than 10 years.

What does Shriram Nene look like? Is he as handsome as Madhuri is beautiful? Is he tall or short? Fat or slim? Ram, as Madhuri introduced her husband to the string of guests who stood in a long queue to go up the dais to wish the Ram Lakhan girl, is a little taller than his wife. He is as fair as Madhuri, perhaps a little fairer. A very cute and boyish smile is the most charismatic part of his face that lit up every time someone told him what a lovely wife he had.

Besides her thousand watt smile, Madhuri wore a beautiful peach-and-silver ghaghra choli and had minimum make-up. No elaborate hair-do for the new bride -- she simply left her hair open. Nene was attired in a skin-coloured silk kurta churidar with a silk zari sherwani.

A few months back, Madhuri's father had told yours truly that they were on the lookout for a suitable match for their daughter, but had been unsuccessful so far. "The boy will have to measure up to her high expectations... she will have to bring down her expectations a little," he had said then. Looking at Shriram, one doesn't feel Madhuri may have had to bring down her expectations.

Born in London, the groom's family shifted base to the US when he was still a kid. Being academically inclined and also because he was never in India, he never developed a liking for films. But for a life partner, he chose one of the topmost personalities of the film industry! Shriram was not even aware that his wife-to-be was a film star with such a massive fan-following till he was told about the status Madhuri enjoyed in Bollywood. Said Madhuri's dad, "He simply didn't know that Madhuri was such a popular heroine here in India." The doctor's heart must've surely missed a beat or two on learning of his wife's celebrity status.

The guest list for the wedding reception was quite impressive except that not many of Madhuri's peers could be spotted. Shah Rukh and Aamir, the two hotshot Khans with whom she has done several films, were conspicuous by their absence. Salman, however, did attend. But the old guard was really well represented. Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Yash Chopra, the Barjatya family and Feroz Khan were all there.

Amitabh Bachchan with son Abhishek, Hema Malini, Anupam Kher, Shatrughan Sinha, Sanjay Khan, Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Sridevi, Sanjay Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Aroona Irani, Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra, Karan Johar, Tej Sapru, Preeti Sapru, Ashutosh Rana, Renuka Shahane, Shilpa and Namrata Shirodkar were among those who were there to wish the Nenes the very best in life.

There were very few heroines though -- Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor, Kajol and Urmila Matondkar were not in sight. Neither were Ajay Devgan, Sunil Shetty, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Sanjay Dutt. Madhuri's biggest fan, M F Husain did come despite rumours that the celebrated painter was heart-broken on hearing of her marriage two months back. The right foot of Husain -- who moves around barefoot -- was bandaged. Was it symbolic of someone having stepped on the celebrated painter's toes?

Jokes apart, Madhuri and Shriram greeted Husain with the same warmth and congeniality they displayed for the over three hours that the reception lasted. In fact, Madhuri was in great form, laughing and smiling as she introduced guest after guest to her husband.

Madhuri's sister-in-law (Shriram's sister) got married in Bombay the same morning at Kohinoor Hall at Prabhadevi. So, for the Nene family, 18 December was a day for a double celebration.

As far as the reception went, it was one of the best organised functions in Bollywood. First, there weren't so many invitees that it became like a mela. The guests were all welcomed at the entrance personally by Madhuri's beaming father, sister and long-time secretary, Rikku. Shilpa Shirodkar, who treats Madhuri as her sister, was also at the entrance to receive the guests. Nobody was allowed to leave without having had dinner.

The venue for the reception was tastefully done up. Flowers were used to decorate the stage for the newly-weds as also the open-air ground. Food served was vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian. A Maharashtrian touch was lent by the inclusion of the traditional Maharashtrian dish of zhunka bhakar in the menu.

Madhuri says ta-ta bye-bye to Bollywood

Mrs Nene, who was once the Madhuri Dixit who made the hearts of the entire Indian male populace go dhak dhak, has announced her retirement from the film industry effective from the new millennium. Talking to a Mumbai reporter, Madhuri declared that she was dying to settle down with her recently-acquired husband Dr Sriram Nene in Los Angeles, and had lost all interest in acting ever since she got married. The actress has said that she would not sign any new film now, and would like to complete all her pending work within the current year, so that she could begin her new life as a housewife in the US from the beginning of the new year.

Madhuri had made the remarks at a family wedding in Ratnagiri in the Konkan area. A large number of people had gathered there at the Datt Mangal marriage hall to catch a glimpse of the star, and to congratulate her on her marriage. As soon as word got out that the lady had planned to make her public appearance her swan song in India, a pall of gloom descended on the crowd (which was nearly two thousand strong).

The situation soon got out of control when the emotionally charged crowd took to public declaration of their grief at the bidaii gesture of their favourite actress. All the while, the actual bride sat cooling her heels as everybody forgot her in all the hullabaloo caused by the mourning multitude. It took nearly two hours for the unhappy crowd to be dispersed by the bewildered cops, and only then could the marriage ceremony go on.

The actress has to wrap up Pukaar (with Anil Kapoor)- the film has already reached the dubbing stage, and it should be completed by early December. M.F. Hussain's Gajagamini is all ready to be released, but has found absolutely no takers so far. While a couple of other films are lying incomplete, only Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke (with Ajay Devgan and Preity Zinta) has progressed so far as to make a change of heroines commercially unviable - giving producer Deepak Shivdasani sleepless nights.

Madhuri returns from honeymoon

Madhuri Nene, formerly the Dixit Dame who ruled the hearts of the Indian male, has returned to Mumbai after a ten-day-long honeymoon with brand-new hubby Sriram in the Hawaiian isles. All to await the release of her completed films Gajagamini and Pukaar, and to fulfil "all other prior committments" before calling it a day and returning to the States. The lady's secret marriage to the US-based doctor, made public only a couple of days back, had taken everyone in the industry (and indeed all over the nation) completely by shock at its suddenness. But it was not very surprising, especially as the lady had always expressed her desire to settle in the US. Mainly because Madhuri's whole family was already settled in that country. And also because of the anonymity she enjoyed abroad, far away from the multitudes of fans in India who never let her have a moment of privacy. Details of the lady's marriage ceremony are slowly trickling in. It was a family-only affair, with the only outsider being Madhuri's long-time secretary Rikku. And the post-wedding lunch was a purely vegetarian affair with shrikhand puri and masale bhaat.

Wedding Belle

Probably the most sought after heroine in Bollywood, Madhuri Dixit disappointed hordes of fans all around the world when she announced her marriage to LA-based cardiac surgeon Dr. Sriram
Nene. After tying the knot in utmost secrecy last month and spending a romantic honeymoon in
Hawaii, the actress decided to make the announcement public. Though Madhuri is back in town for the shoot of Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke and other schedules. She will settle down in the US, but not without honoring her commitments and is reportedly said to be open to worthy offers. " I am feeling on top of the world," gushed the newly wedded actress, " I have never been so happy in all my life." Gossip mongers are still not willing to give in and are busy finding flaws in the Nene's marital bliss. Madhuri fans will have to do with her two forthcoming releases Pukar and Gajagamini for a while, till she decides her post-marriage films.

Madhuri's surprise marriage

"It was jhat mangni pat byah," Madhuri's old faithful secretary, Rikkoo exultated over the phone. On October 17, Madhuri Dixit fulfilled every presswallah's prophesy and got married to a Maharastrian boy in the USA. She had long been introduced to prospective grooms by her siblings living in the States but this time when her brother Ajit played the matchmaker, everything fell into place, and now Madhuri is Mrs Sriram Nene.

A couple of years older than Madhuri, the groom is a surgeon and as Rikkoo puts it succintly, "Madhuri deserved only the best and now she has got the best!" Madhuri had complained about how the press had landed her with eight husbands -- one for each holiday she spent in the States. Talk about the advantages of crying wolf. often enough

Madhuri Dixit ties nuptial knot

MUMBAI: Superstar Madhuri Dixit tied the nuptial knot with Los Angeles-based surgeon Dr Sriram Nene on October 17.

The wedding ceremony, conducted according to Vedic rites, was held at the Los Angeles residence of Madhuri's brother Ajit, a computer engineer.

The `family-only' event was followed by a sumptuous vegetarian lunch of `shrikhand-puri' and `masale-bhaat', Madhuri's personal secretary Rakesh Nath, who also attended the mother of all weddings, told this newspaper on Thursday. Although the diva of Hindi cinema was reportedly in Mumbai on Thursday, she was unavailable for comment.

The Madhuri-Sriram marriage had all the trappings of a Maharashtrian Brahmin alliance, what with her family members consulting the duo's horoscope before okaying the match, a spokesperson for the actress said.

With her two sisters and brother Ajit already settled in the U.S., Madhuri's frequent visits to that country had fuelled speculation over the last few years that she planned to marry a non-resident Indian and settle down in the United States.

The `dhak dhak' girl is reported to have spent over a week in Los Angeles after the wedding and to have returned to India on October 27. Stating that she had no immediate plans to return to Los Angeles because of a shooting schedule planned earlier, Mr Nath claimed that she would continue with her career in cinema.

However, with her two recent films--Boney Kapoor's `Pukaar' and `Gajagamini', produced by Mr Nath and directed by well-known painter M.F. Husain--now in the cans, Madhuri's marriage comes as a happy ending to a brilliant career which began with `Abodh' in the early 1980s and reached dizzying heights with superhits such as `Tezaab', `Saajan', `Dil', `Betaa', `Ram Lakhan', `Prahaar' and `Mrityudand'.