Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri Dixit' (Marathi: माधुरी दीक्षित) (born as Madhuri Shankar Dixit to a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin family on May 15, 1967) is an award winning Indian Bollywood actress and one of the biggest stars of the Indian film industry. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she dominated Hindi cinema as a leading actress, appearing in many hit films. She is considered to be an icon of the Bollywood film industry.[1] Dixit has been praised for her beauty, acting talent and dancing skills.Maduri Dixit made her acting debut in Abodh (1984). After a few minor and supporting roles her first major role was in Tezaab (1988) which launched her career. She then went on to star in the hit films Dayavan (1988), Ram Lakhan (1989), Dil (1990), Saajan (1991), Beta (1992), Khalnayak (1993), and the Bollywood blockbuster Hum Aapke Hain Kaun! (1994). After three years of little success, she appeared as Pooja in the successful Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) for which she won her fourth Filmfare Best Actress Award[2]Also in 1997, Dixit starred in the critically acclaimed Mrityudand ('The Death Sentence'), directed and produced by Prakash Jha. A powerful commentary on social and gender injustice, Mrityudand straddled the boundary between art film and commercial film, and won Best Feature Film of 1998 awards at the Cinéma Tout Ecran in Geneva, the Bangkok Film Festival and the Sansui Awards (Critics' Choice). Madhuri Dixit took home Best Actress awards at both the Screen Awards and Sansui Awards (1998).Her dance sequences accompanying many famous Bollywood songs such as Ek Do Teen (from Tezaab), Bada Dukh Dina (from Ram Lakhan), Dhak Dhak (from Beta), Chane Ke Kheth Mein (from Anjaam), Choli Ke Peechche (from Khalnayak), Akhiyan Milau (from Raja), Piya Ghar Aya (from Yaarana), Key Sera (from Pukar), Mardala (from Devdas), and many others have received abundant critical acclaim.In 2002, she starred in Devdas, with actor Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Madhuri Dixit was applauded for her acting in the film. The film attracted worldwide attention and was featured at the Cannes Film Festival.[3] Since then she has not appeared in any films.In 2003, a film title named after her, one of the few films in Bollywood named after an actor/actress, called Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon!.[4]On February 25, 2006 she performed on stage for the first time in six years at the Filmfare Awards to music from her last movie Devdas.[5] Her performance was choreographed by Saroj Khan and was very well received.Madhuri Dixit has been the muse for the famous Indian painter M.F. Hussain who considers her the epitome of the Indian woman. She also appeared in his film Gaja Gamini (2000). Gaja Gamini was intended as a tribute to Dixit's talent and beauty.[6]On December 7, 2006, Dixit returned to Mumbai along with her husband and sons in order to start to film her new movie titled Aaja Nachle, to be produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Anil Mehta.[7]Recently, on Women's International Day, a special article was released to pay tribute to Bollywood Heroines. Dixit topped the list of the Best Bollywood Actresses Ever.