Madhuri Dixit: What Would She Be Without The Songs?

The magic of Madhuri Dixit is to a large extent an illustration of the power of music and songs in Hindi cinema. If it wasn’t for those zingy special songs like Channe ke khet mein (Anjaam), Ek do teen (Tezaab), Dhak dhak (Beta) and Didi tera devar (Hum…Aapke Hai Koun), Madhuri’s star power would be considerably diminished.

Not many know that even before Ek do teen, Madhuri had already verified her electric screen presence in a film directed by Subhash Ghai.

Recalls Ghai, “It was a special dance number , just one song in Karma. But when I saw her dancing I knew she was too good to be squandered in just one song and dance. I scrapped her song from Karma and decided to launch her as a heroine in Uttar Dakshin opposite Jackie Shroff (directed by Prabhat Khanna). In Uttar Dakshin, Madhuri was electric in the song Laila mar gayi soni doob gayi abb hai meri baari.”

Not many saw Madhuri’s Laila mar gayi in Uttar Dakshin. It was not until Ram Lakhan that Madhuri actually got noticed in a Subhash Ghai film.

“The song Ho ramji tere lakhan ne bada dukh deena in Ram Lakhan was very special . It was the first time that Lataji sang for Madhuri. Lataji’s divine singing , Saroj Khanji’s elegant dance moves and Madhuri’s powerful emoting, made this a memorable number,” Ghai recalls fondly.

Madhuri admitted Lataji singing for her made all difference in the world to her screen presence . The fifteen songs of Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum…Aapke Hain Koun stand testimony to Madhuri’s star power and Lataji’s staying power.

Choli ke peeche hai in Khalnaayak created an uproar. But Madhuri stood by the song arguing that the unsavory innuendo is in listeners’ minds.

“What we did and what you hear are two different things,” she had argued angrily when this writer had derided the ditty for being dirty.

Madhuri’s Mujra Maar daala in Sanjay Bhansali’s Devdas has a history. It was originally recorded in Asha Bhosle’s voice . But was re-recorded in Kavita Krishnamurthy’s voice. Another controversial song in Madhuri’s career was Aaja nachle which got itself into a budge when an allegedly derogatory reference was made to a particular community. The offensive word was removed before Madhuri could continue dancing.

Here’s hoping the dancing queen never stops spinning her dreams.