Known for her beauty, dancing expertise and versatile acting skills, Madhuri Dixit made her debut in Bollywood with the film Abodh in 1984. She has played many memorable roles in Hindi cinema, one of the notables being her dance sequence Dhak Dhak Karne Laga in the 1992 film Beta, due to which she became known as the Dhak Dhak Girl.

D.O.B: May 15, 1967

Marital Status: Married to Shriram Madhav Nene

Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Family: Her parents are Shankar and Snehlata Dixit. She has two sons Raayan and Arin Nene

Recognitions

Padma Shri in 2008 for contribution to Indian Cinema

Topped Rediff.com’s list of The Best Bollywood Actresses Ever (2007)

Rediff.com listed her in top 10 "Readers Choice: The Greatest Actresses of all time" (2011)

Statue unveiled at Madame Tussauds London (2012)

Filmfare Awards for Best Actress: Dil (1990) Beta (1992) Hum Aapke Hain Koun(1994) Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)

Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress: Devdas (2002)

Filmfare Special Award: Honouring 25 years in the Bollywood Industry (2011)

Early Life

Born into a Marathi speaking Chitpavan family in Mumbai, Madhuri attended Divine High School and Mumbai University and studied to become a microbiologist. She took up kathak dancing at an early age and is now an accomplished dancer. She made her entry in the world of films in the movie Abodh in 1984 opposite Bengali actor Tapas Paul. Although critics gave her positive reviews for her acting, the film was a box office flop. The next film in which she acted in 1985 was called Awara Baap, was also a failure. Her successive movies in 1987 like Mohre, Hifazat and Uttar Dakshin continued to fail at the box office.

Entry to Bollywood

Madhuri was finally noticed in the 1988 movie Tezaab starring opposite Anil Kapoor. This blockbuster film brought her initial fame and glory. Her dream-like dance number Ek Do Teen swayed the crowds and critics noted her acting skills, especially in the scenes where she was pitted against Anupam Kher and her performance was fine-tuned to perfection. The film was that year’s highest grossing movie, and won her a first Filmfare award nomination for Best Actress. Next up was her role in Subhash Ghai’s super hit film Ram Lakhan (1989) wherein she was once again paired with Anil Kapoor. The film went on to be the second highest grosser of the year. Dixit's next release was Prem Pratigyaa, in which she starred opposite Mithun Chakraborty, and earned her second nomination for a Filmfare Best Actress Award. Thereafter Dixit got success in Rajiv Rai's multi-starrer Tridev (1989), in which she starred opposite Sunny Deol. Up next in 1989 came her film Parinda, wherein she played a small role, but won critical acclaim.

The year 1990 saw Madhuri reach the status of superstar in the super hit movie Dil, starring opposite Amir Khan. Her role as a rich arrogant girl leaving her house to marry a poorer boy won her critical acclaim, as well as her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. In 1991, her role in the movie Saajan opposite Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt earned her another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress. The following year she appeared in another blockbuster Beta, once again opposite Anil Kapoor, creating immense rise in her popularity as one of the most memorable parts of the film was her dance number Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, and she became popularly known as the Dhak Dhak girl. By 1993, she appeared in another huge hit movie Khalnayak wherein her dancing skills once again won her much kudos for the hit song Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai. People thronged the cinema halls to watch the beauty and magic of Madhuri. Planet Bollywood commented that she even gave real competition to Sanjay Dutt!

In 1994, Madhuri paired up with Shahrukh Khan for the movie Anjaam, in which she won her seventh Filmfare award nomination for Best Actress. Up next came the blockbuster Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! with Salman Khan, which was one of the highest Bollywood grosser ever, ranking in INR 1.35 billion and beating the previous record set by the 1975 film Sholay. HAHK won Madhuri her third Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She was hailed by critics in her role for ‘giving as good as it gets’ and creating one of most memorable female characters in Hindi Cinema.

In 1995, Madhuri starred in the hit film Raja opposite Sanjay Kapoor. The film’s success was attributed to Madhuri’s popularity and it became the fourth highest grosser of the year. Her next release was David Dhawan's Yaraana opposite Rishi Kapoor, in which she played a dancer on the run from her abusive lover. This film was a below average performer at the box office. Both films earned her nominations for the Filmfare Best Actress Award. This was followed with a slump period and nondescript movies like Prem Granth and Rajkumar in 1996. The year 1997 saw her bounce back slightly with her mesmeric performance in the film Mrityudand. She soon earned fame and commercial success in the musical romance Dil to Pagal Hai (1997) with Shahrukh Khan and Karishma Kapoor. The film also saw her earn her fourth Filmfare Best Actress Award.

The year 1998 was also bad for her as she performed in below average films like Wajood and Aarzoo, although she did win praise for her acting talent, which she carried off with ease and grace. The year 2000 saw Madhuri once again in the spotlight, opposite Anil Kapoor in Pukar. Her role was praised as magical in the dance sequences and the movie saw moderate success. The next film Gaja Gamini, was a total flop. The following year, the film Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke was also a dismal failure. This was followed by another failure Lajja, although she earned a well-deserved nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress.

In 2002, she played the lead role in the movie Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam with Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan. The film became the fifth highest grosser of the year due to the presence of three superstars. Soon after, she played her famous role as Chandramukhi in the 2002 hit film Dedvas. Her understated role as courtesan in love with Devdas was widely acclaimed. It was one of the lingering films, in terms of virtuosity and watching her perform with consummate ease was a sheer delight wrote critic Sita Menon from Rediff. The Film turned out to be the highest grosser of 2002 and also featured in the Cannes Film Festival. After winning a richly deserved Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for this film, Madhuri took time off to raise her sons Raayan and Arin Nene.

In 2003, a film was released in her name called Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon which featured actor Antara Mali and was about a woman aspiring to be the new Madhuri Dixit in the Bollywood.

In between, in 2005, Madhuri made her first TV appearance as a host for India’s first reality show called Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai on Sony TV.

She returned to films in 2006, and started filming for the movie Aaja Nachle, which was released in 2007. Her role was highly appreciated with the New York Times commenting that ‘she’s still got it’. Madhuri earned a record-breaking 13th nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award.

By 2010 The Economic Times had put Madhuri on the list of ‘33 women who made India proud.’ In 2011, she was honoured with a Filmfare Special Award for 25 years in the Bollywood Industry, and rediff.com listed her in “the top 10 Readers Choice: The Greatest Actresses of all time".

In 2012, Madhuri unveiled her own statue at Madame Tussauds, becoming the 7th Bollywood celebrity to have this honour. Recently, she has made special appearances for songs like Apna Bombay Talkies in Bombay Talkies (2013), Ghagra in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013).

She has also acted in films like Dedh Ishqiya (2013), playing the role of Begum Para and Gulaab Gang (2014) wherein she played the role of Rajjo. For Gulaab Gang Madhuri trained in martial arts like Shaolin Kung Fu, Pekiti –Tirsia Kali and Shaolin Chin Na and sang the song Rangi Saari Gulaabi with Snehlata Dixit.

Currently, Madhuri Dixit runs an online dance academy.