The great Pandit Birju Maharaj has called her the “best Bollywood dancer due to her versatility”. Saroj Khan has continually stated her as being her favourite protégé while other choreographers from Shiamak Davar to Vaibhavi Merchant to Farah Khan swear her. Her songs, many of them more than two decades old, are still played with uninterrupted frequency in marriages, functions, radio channels and award shows enjoying the same enviable popularity they had all those years ago.
Her breathtaking beauty, her famed million-dollar smile, the playful shimmer in her lustrous brown eyes, her celebrated acting prowess, unmatchable box-office appeal among other surreal charms have attributed in making a ’la Dixit a yardstick for greatness. Clearly however the charisma and enduring legacy of Madhuri is relentless and synonymous with her dancing prowess. Her trained skill set (as a proficient Kathak dancer) and inherent ability to marry technique with impulses and allure has created a formidable oeuvre of dances to support and study. Balancing uninhibited oomph, innate grace, a brilliant sense of rhythm, Madhuri of the million-dollar smile, of the radiant expressions, of the nimble, abandoned dance moves, is a complete package. Not just did she have her share of superhit songs, but so iconic became her dance performances that gestures like the hurried-heartbeat of Dhak dhak or the tantalising sway of Chole Ke Peeche themselves became turning points, and be it a classically toned mujra or a complete act of seduction among the haystacks, Madhuri rocks it.
Six years after her not-so-successful comeback in 2007’s Aaja Nachle, the Dhak Dhak Girl gets ready to slip on her dancing shoes, ready to awe the world all over again this time accompanied by Ranbir Kapoor in a song from this year’s much hyped Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in a song titled “Ghagra” choreographed by Farah Khan. So in honour of Ghagra, let’s rewind back to Madhuri magic and take a look at some of her best and most celebrated dance numbers.
“EK DO TEEN”-TEZAAB(1988):-
There’s a good reason why Madhuri in her latest song is introduced as Mohini. A quarter of a century since Mohini enlivened the screen in Tezaab with her wild antics, the song that made Madhuri-with her spirited dance and myriad expressions into an overnight sensation, remains as popular as ever never having lost an ounce of it’s original charm.India had flipped for the Ding-Dong-Ding song,and then there was no looking back. Sheesh, however can Mads make something inexplicably boring like counting the days of a month more fun than ever?
“O RAMJI BADA DUKH DEENA”-RAM LAKHAN(1989):-
Although her Radha was not a major character in Subhash Ghai's melodrama about two brothers and their wronged mother, Madhuri contributed immensely in the glamour department with her two solo dances. While many applauded her blend of intricate moves and effective aggression in Bekhabar Bewafa, it was her subtle nuances “O Ramji” that caught everyone’s attention and made us feel her pain through her resolute maturity.
“GAZAR NE KIYA HAI ISHARA”-TRIDEV(1989):-
The same year Madhuri donned a pair of fabulous transparent harem pants alongside leggy stunners like Sangeeta Bijlani and Sonam in the hugely popular climax song of 1989’s Tridev, only to steal the show with her obviously polished dancing skills despite of being in a two bit role.
“HUMKO AAJ KAL HAI INTEZAAR”-SAILAAB(1990):-
The one memory that sticks out from this otherwise forgettable Aditya Pancholi starrer is the image of Madhuri’s dreamy gaze and leisurely drawl while sashaying her nimble outline in a traditional Maharashtrian fisherwoman attire to Bappi Lahiri’s sultry composition.Others from Katrina Kaif to Antara Mali to Chitrangada Singh have tried to replicate the same magic,none coming even close to the original. Clearly the ‘koli’ girl has never looked this hot.
“DUM DUMMA DUM”-DIL(1990):-
To watch two of Bollywood’s biggest superstars in their early 20s swaying to peppy tunes is a sign for cash flow at the box-office. The makers of Dil recapitulated on the chemistry between it’s two young stars in a bid to sell even more tickets by adding a new song, Dum Dumma Dum where a plucky Madhuri take on a smug Aamir Khan in the war of moves, and re-released the prints thus making this part teenybopper-part intense romance a favourite among the youth.
“TAMMA TAMMA LOGE”-THAANEDAAR(1990):-
Bappi Lahiri's Tamma Tamma Loge is a blatant rip-off of Mory Kante's Tama Tama but that's a technicality you're willing to overlook for a few minutes while watching the contrast between Madhuri's high-energy albeit effortless shimmy as opposed to Sanjay Dutt's labored ones in its glittery visual. Most commendable is their co-ordination in the steps involving a chair towards the end.And then there’s even the mullet that Mads dons.
“TU SHAYAR HAI”-SAAJAN(1991):-
Perhaps matching steps with the diva proved to be too much of a trouble for Sanjay Dutt,as he relegated himself to clicking pictures of Mads setting the stage on fire in an array of glitzy costumes and exultant moods to convey the smitten state of Pooja to titillating melody in this Salman Khan-Madhuri Dixit-Sanjay Dutt 1991 romantic starrer.
“DHAK DHAK KARNE LAGA”-BETA(1992):-
Two decades after she burned the screen in a midriff-exposing orange ghagra choli, it’s not an uncommon sight to find men still fogging up behind their thick glasses when they see Madhuri go Dhak-Dhak.She was assertive about her sexuality as well,the conviction in the smooth gyrations of her willowy figure and come-hither expressions. Few people can make a song so lustful and suggestive an imagery of sexual fantasy without being vulgar. But that’s Madhuri magic for you-sexy without trying too hard culminating in the ultimate fantasy for teenage boys in the 90s.
“CHOLI KE PEECHE”-KHALNAYAK(1993):-
Technically the best choreographed and executed dance on this list, Neena Gupta's contentious question and Madhuri Dixit's camouflaged reply ruffled a lot of conservative feathers in the early nineties. Nonetheless, the song from Subhash Ghai's film went on to become a huge rage. Lending the proceedings a perfect dose of chutzpah and mischief, Madhuri's lissome elegance shines through the evocative temperament of its contents. Since then the song’s enjoyed quite a romp, including a remixed version by A.R. Rahaman in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire.
“CHANNE KE KHET MEIN”-ANJAAM(1994):-
Madhuri herself has stated this song as being one of her personal favourites out of her countless superhits. The agile beauty shows off her efficient footwork yet again while communicating the playful innuendoes of Channe Ke Khet beside an awestruck young Shah Rukh Khan. While the movie, was nothing short of a blood fest, it featured a couple of songs worthy of note most primarily being this foot tapping number featuring Madhuri.
“DIDI TERA DEVAR DEWAANA”-HUM AAPKE HAIN KAUN…..!(1994):-
Back in 1994 when HAHK flooded the box-office with an excess of cash flow it was termed as being a 3+hour long “Wedding Album” with weddings and celebrations marking the A to Z of Sooraj Barjatya's beloved classic. Even so, among the many festive notes it hits Didi tera devar ranks as the most popular. Madhuri's expressive range and impeccable comic timing comes forth with glorious relish and abandon in her playful depiction of a pregnant woman followed by a flirtatious banter with Salman Khan in its ever-so spunky picturisation. Along with Mads’s shimmering purple sari,the song itself became a rage among wedding circles and has remained a staple ever since.
“ANKHIYAN MILAUN”-RAJA(1995):-
This was when Madhuri was termed as being the “Female Bachchan” for her ability to make Raja-a film without a coherent plot and a major male star into one of 1995’s biggest hits.The queen of hearts shakes a leg and butt with much gusto and is so much in a sync with the rhythm that it’s hard to notice anything else as she effortlessly diverts our attention from the dreadful dancing skills of Sanjay Kapoor. I doubt that any other actress would’ve been able to do those complex eyeball movements,without having them pop out of their sockets.
“MERA PIYA GHAR AAYA”-YAARANA(1995):-
This appallingly lousy remake of Sleeping With The Enemy featuring Rishi Kapoor and directed by David Dhawan nonetheless was a taint on Madhuri’s glorious career and you’re forgiven for not remembering it. The focal point of the movie though-Madhuri’s live wire act and unmistakable zest while pounding her feet to the beats of Mera Piya Ghar Aaya O Ramji, is one that you cannot in any chance forget. Clearly she had a ball of time while filming this one.
“THE DANCE OF ENVY AND KATHAK SOLO”-DIL TO PAGAL HAI(1997):-
Yash Chopra's Mills & Boonesque romance had a bunch of foot-tapping dance numbers, alongside featuring a faceoff between two 90s queens and a Kathak solo by Madhuri. Madhuri and Karisma Kapoor engage in The Dance of Envy under choreographer Shiamak Davar's keen eye.It’s always great to see two fabulous dancers in a faceoff, plus not just the synchronisation but the energy and complex vibe between their characters that makes it all the more alluring. Then again Madhuri’s solo where she fluidly shows off a few complex,high-energy Kathak steps to a blend of SRK’s frenzied drum beats and tinkling sounds of a ghungru shows her exact prowess as a trained classical dancer and reminds us why she after all is an enigma and miracle all the way.
“CHAK DHOOM DHOOM”-DIL TO PAGAL HAI(1997):-
Another great dance number featuring Madhuri and SRK from DTPH, intricately showed us Madhuri’s innate sense of rhythm. Featuring with a couple of kids under the storming rainfall, you can clearly see Madhuri having a blast while matching King Khan’s steps yet retaining a grace and charm that only she can possess. No wonder than that this was a kiddie’s favourite back in ’97.
"MAKHNA"-BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN(1998):-
Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda and Madhuri Dixit as herself in a cameo match steps in 1998's Bade Miyan Chote Miyan song "Makhna" to make a song that embraces it's goofiness with abandon. And even though Big B has two left feet, the spontaneity and carefree abandon with which Madhuri and Govinda make the song their own and have a blast while at their playful banter is what makes it so bloody enjoyable.
“QUE SERA SERA”-PUKAR(2000):-
The best dancer in Bollywood with the best dancer in India-what a combination, eh?Speaking of terrific dancers with distinct style, nothing like a Madhuri-Prabhudeva combination is there? For the first time in her career do you see a male co-star matching up to Madhuri’s prowess, yet again Madhuri’s skill is such that she matches steps and attitude with India’s MJ to sizzle in the spectacularly choreographed Que Sera Sera and yet manages to stand out. What a miracle eh?
“BADI MUSHKIL”-LAJJA(2001):-
In Raj Kumar Santoshi's Lajja Madhuri plays Janki, a theatre actress and during one of her interactions with Manisha Koirala breaks into an impromptu jig that reiterates her stature as a dancer par excellence and our capacity to be enamored each and every time. A brilliantly choreographed film with a blend of high energy classical movements and western dance,the euphoria experienced when you watch Mads shimmy with abandon is one you’ll find hard to match.
“DOLA RE”-DEVDAS(2002):-
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grand and ostentatious take on the famed Bengali novella, took quite a few poetic licences including the preposterous one of Paro and Chandramukhi waltzing together. The only thing that saved it from disaster-Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai,two of Tinsletown’s best dancers matching steps with each other in Saroj Khan’s astoundingly well choreographed song that fetched her a National Award. The splendid duo pitches in their best show, without any attempt to outdo another, demonstrating a genuine commitment for the art form. What a sight for sore eyes.
“MAAR DALA”-DEVDAS(2002):-
Maar Dala indeed .Madhuri shows us why she is THE quintessential Bollywood heroine. For in one song she accomplishes everything a Bollywood actress is supposed to be. She’s never looked this ethereal before, she’s never acted so splendidly before and yes she’s never moved so much as a dream before. Setting her beat to Saroj Khan’s complex moves, Madhuri’s classical Kathak training pays off as she exhibits fluidity and grace even while executing the most complex moves, with the myriad expressions on her countenance changing with every beat, expressing pain and anguish through her glimmering eyes. Madhuri’s pure poetry in motion. Sublime.
“AAJA NACHLE”-AAJA NACHLE(2007):-
After a five-year long absence, Madhuri returned in a subject befitting of her skills.The mostly dance-oriented theme of Yashraj Films's Aaja Nachle felt like an ideal comeback for the star. And though the movie bombed, everyone had nice things to say about the actress and her marvelous show, packed with oomph, pizzazz and elan, in its catchy title track.To watch Madhuri Dixit show her jalwa on the dance floor again,alone is worth the price of admission no matter the disaster the film was.