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Mad about Mads!!
Blog by Ram Kamal Mukherji.
The Madhuri Magic has just begun! Tuesday, Oct 30, 2007
I'm mad about Mad. The last time I met Madhuri was the first time I met her in Mumbai. Let me explain. I had met Madhuri earlier when I was in Kolkata. By the time I shifted to Mumbai, she had moved to USA with her family. After five years, she arrived from Denver with her kids and her hubby Ram. Madhuri had signed Yashraj Film's Aaja Nachle. When I was working in Mumbai Mirror, my editor Meenal Baghel wanted me to do a nice mood piece with Madhuri Dixit. That was when I got to know a different aspect of Madhuri. I share some anecdotes, which I couldn't include in my interview then.
When I called her secretary Rikku Rakeshnath, (he is considered a star secretary) he asked me to meet Madhuri at 5 am at Juhu beach. Now that was a weird time for any journalist to meet a star. But I was gung-ho about this assignment. Not every day you get to meet Madhuri Dixit. She had called me on 31st December 2006, and I had partied the previous night till late. I get a wake up call from Rikku, and I rush to Juhu. Madhuri was in her tracksuit, all set for yoga and jogging.
"Hang over, eh?" she smiles. Even before I could reply, she asked me to jog along with her. "It will go, just follow me!" Gosh! That was a bit much for someone who was awake till two in the morning. But I started jogging along with Madhuri, and believe me I was feeling better as the skyline was getting brighter by the second. We spoke about everything, from Bollywood to BMC!
The best thing about Madhuri is that, she doesn't come with extra baggage. You know those starry tantrums. She spontaneously breaks into Marathi with local people when required. When I saw Madhuri in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas, she looked her age and she had gained a lot of weight. Somehow, I felt that she should retire before she is asked to play Shahid Kapoor's mother. She rightly took a break and concentrated on her family. I must admit that motherhood has made Madhuri more stunning. When I saw her after five years, she looked as charming as ever. "I can't afford to be fat. I mean look at other actors, they are so fit," she would say. Mads was looking ever charming and energetic. "It's all in your mind," she said with an American accent!
Needless to say Madhuri was the last superstar with an amazing success ratio. Even after such credentials she doesn't believe in 'show-shine'. Take an Aishwarya Rai or even a Mallika Sherawat, they move with bodyguards and try to create an aura. "Why would I require a bodyguard?" she laughed, when I asked about the security arrangements. "Being a Mumbaichi mulgi, I don't think the city will harm me. I mean they just love me and my performance. At most they would compliment me, or maybe ask for a photograph. Now, that can't be life threatening, right?" How cool!
Mad stops at nariyal pani (coconut water) stall and the vendor fails to recognise her. She offers me and Rikku coconut water and while sipping she says, "See, people don't even recognise you. What are we talking about?" she says. True! Madhuri comes across as a confident person. I was fortunate enough that I got several occasions to interact with her. And each time she has surprised me with her 'down-to-earth' attitude. "One needs to understand the basic funda, it's a game, and it will get over. Life is beyond pancakes and eyelashes," she says.
Now the promo of her 'comeback' film Aaja Nachle is on air. Monica Bhattacharya, the Public Relation Officer from Yash Raj Films says, "The teaser got a fabulous response. People just can't wait to see Madhuri." She was not kidding, I swear, while we were watching Laaga Chunari Mein Daag at Yashraj Studio, a senior journalist whistled to Madhuri's thumkas when the promo was aired. The madness has just begun… and I'm loving it!
Posted by Ram Kamal Mukherjee
