It was on August 10, 1984, that Madhuri Dixit Nene made her Bollywood debut with the film Abodh. Based on the marital journey of a young girl, Abodh, directed by Hiren Nag starred a young Madhuri Dixit who was 17 then. She is unrecognisable on the film's poster—a young girl donning a saree and a nosepin, looking the part of a demure wife and a submissive daughter-in-law.
Since then, the versatile actress went on to star in close to 100 odd films and even if some films didn't do well at the box office, her own performance stood out in each and how. Madhuri Dixit of the 90s was a rage; for millennials like me, she was an inspiration and an instant energy pill—all you needed was to groove to 'Ek Do teen' and see how it works its magic on you. I remember no stage performance in our society or even the neighbourhood was complete without someone dancing on either 'Chane ke Khet Mein...,' or 'Didi tera devar,' or the raunchy 'Choli ke peeche...'
As Pooja in Dil to Pagal hai (1997), Nisha in Hum Aapke hain Kaun (1994), Mohini in Tezaab (1988), Madhuri Dixit encouraged, inspired and entertained an entire generation of millennial girls who grew up watching her, dressing like her and above all, dancing like her. Her pairing with Anil Kapoor, which began with the superhit Ram Lakhanin 1989, became extremely popular and successful. The duo went on to work in close to 20 films together. Here's a compilation of the best dance numbers from her 90s films, as an ode to Madhuri of the 90s because after all, Bollywood watching millennials literally grew up, bingeing on her films, her moves, her smile and her infectious energy.
Tezaab (1988)
Who can forget that thumping of 'Ek do teen....' with a dolled-up Mohini (Dixit) grooving on the stage in a shocking pink mini skirt? It was dreamy. No Instagram was needed and no social media strategy had to be deployed. The song was a sensation that got the entire nation dancing to its tune and Dixit had firmly established herself as the next big shining star of Bollywood. The film did well too, but the song stood out. Watch this, for Mohini, more than anything else.
Saajan (1991)
Think Saajan and 'Tu Shayar hai....' immediately strikes the mind. That long blue dress and her infectious smile inspired a cult following. In fact, the film's entire playlist became etched in memory. There's the lilting 'Bahaut Pyaar Karte hain', then zesty 'Tumse Milne Ki tamanna hai'..to the evergreen 'Mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai'—Madhuri was in every frame, and yet, it didn't seem too much. We all listened to these numbers in loops, especially during our summer breaks.
Hum Aapke Hain kaun (1994)
The first successful family drama that also gave us some major couple goals—Prem and Nisha set the 'bar of love' quite high. 'Pehela Pehela Pyaar hai'...in which a beautiful Nisha (Dixit) dressed in light pink with sparkling diamonds serenaded prem, redefining the notion of romance. It was gentle, soft, and melodious. 'Didi Tera Devar...' was yet another smashing hit that catapulted Dixit into the next level of stardom. 'Maye Ni Maye...' was the icing on the cake, it literally became a 'Haldi-mehendi must-have.'
Anjaam (1994)
This was the time when Dixit had entered the consciousness of every single girl in India who ever thought she could dance. Her 'Chane ke khet mein...' had become a definite feature of dance competitions, in college campuses, neighbourhoods and homes. She set the bar high - no dance was good enough if it could not match Madhuri's enviable steps in 'Chane Ke Khet mein' and so that became the benchmark.
Dil toh Pagal Hai (1997)
Here, Madhuri Dixit upped the ante of her dancing prowess in a face-off with Karisma Kapoor and in an unforgettable 'Ghode Jaisi Chaal..' with Shahrukh Khan. The film, based on a love triangle, became a blockbuster hit and its songs continue to play inside salons and tapris even today. Nobody pulled off gym wear back then in the 90s the way Madhuri did and how. 'Arey re Arey' became viral equally for her attire as much as it did for her flawless moves.
