From a middle class girl with no connections to the film industry, Madhuri Dixit has become the rarest of creatures: a self-made super star.

   Aside from the obvious appeal of drop-dead gorgeousness, it was her dancing ability that first wowed filmgoers. Her item numbers in Tezaab, Beta, and Dil sent sales of the movies' soundtracks through the roof. The provocative chorus of her "Choli Ke Peeche" number from Khalnayak sparked a national scandal, as some outraged critics insisted her gyrations suggested a very different answer to the song's chorus, "What's behind the blouse?", than her chirpy answer: "My heart!" Ironically, the clamoring protest only served to heighten Madhuri's fame.

Some detractors claim that dancing is her greatest (or only) strength. But Madhuri's triumphant dramatics in more serious fare like 1997's Mrityudand and 2001's Lajja suggest otherwise, and her performance as a lovestruck courtesan in 2002's Devdas has showcased both her strengths -- acting and emoting -- to universal acclaim. It seems that Madhuri has successfully triumphed over the two biggest career risks an Indian actress can face: getting married and turning thirty.

    Ironically, her husband, an American doctor of South Asian descent, has never even seen one of her films. She explains, "It’s not so hard to believe if you know of kids who grow up in America, because they have their own world. He doesn’t understand Hindi, that’s what he says. He says that 'Even if I watch a film I get so bored because I don’t understand Hindi.' I said, don’t worry, I’ll teach you Hindi. Probably he will start watching Hindi films."  What's the first one she'll show him?  "I think I will probably show him Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" (Rediff, Jan. 2000)

    As far as private matters go, Madhuri has remained amazingly free of scandal. Rumors of her love affair with Sanjay Dutt have settled since her marriage; on the professional front, however, she is rumored to be displeased with the way that her recent film with Ajay Devgan and Preity Zinta turned out. According to the Hindustan Times, some of the sensual scenes in Ye Raste Hain Pyar Ke were not handled as tastefully as she'd hoped, and Preity Zinta was given more screen time, proportionally, than Madhuri had been led to expect. Allegedly "her secretary and staff revealed that the actress was upset with 'the junior actress' playing up to the director to garner favours in terms of film footage." True or not, one thing's for sure: the more screen time she has, the better--at least for fans of the best dancer in Bollywood.

Madhuri Dixit
born: May 15, 1967
height: 5' 4"