Madhuri Dixit is back in Mumbai for a longish holiday. She speaks to Subhash K Jha on her future plans..
Q: After the kind of response you got for your dance number at the Filmfare award are you planning to return to films?
A: Yes, probably do one film a year. There are lots of offers. I need to just listen to the scripts and decide what to do. It has to be a project convenient to both me and the producer in terms of location, etc. Looking after my home and kids, I can still take time off for one movie. But it would be tough for me to come down here for the shooting. We must remember that a lot of movies from Bollywood are made in the US.
Q: It would be difficult for producers in Mumbai to reach you in LA?A: The world is becoming such a small place. People sitting in Hong Kong do business with people in India. So communication is no problem.Q: What prompted that live performance at the Filmfare awards?
A: I didn't think I was going to perform. I was in Mumbai to chill out , have a holiday. Filmfare approached me. Rikkuji persuaded me. Since I wasn't out of shape he thought I could do it. Since I had been with the industry for so long I thought it would be nice if I caught up with all my colleagues through my performance.
Q: Most people feel there can never be another Madhuri Dixit.
A: In fact the audiences still send me fan mail.It's a beautiful feeling to be loved and cherished. Talent never dies. I was very apprehensive about dancing on stage. I hadn't done it for four years. To my surprise it wasn't difficult. Even Saroj-ji (Khan) said it didn't look like I had been away for so long. Acting and dancing are hard to forget.
Q: I noticed you only danced to the Devdas songs.
A: Yes, I had the chance to perform my earlier hit songs at Filmfare awards. I had never performed the Devdas numbers. They all have a great dignity to them, and they've a touch of the classical. That element in dancing is really close to my heart.
Q: In the US do you miss the film industry?
A: It depends on what you mean by the industry. If you mean the paraphernalia then I don't miss that. But I miss my craft, the preparation for scenes, the nervousness before every shot and all that dhak dhak…. But I hardly have time to think of all this in LA. My kids are young—1 and 3 years old-- and demanding. But in a quiet moment I do think about my studio life. The older son will soon get to know how famous his mom is. He got a taste of it when he went to the doctor in Mumbai. A photographer followed us and clicked us. You should've seen how delighted my son was.
Q: Your sons are the only ones not aware of your stardom.
A: Absolutely. When I came home after performing at the Filmfare awards they refused to recognize me with all that makeup. They couldn't watch me, even on tv. It was too late by the time my performance came on.But yes , once in LA I tried to show them my songs. They weren't interested. And when I showed my son my face on the DVD of Devdas he casually said, 'That's you, Mom' He doesn't connect with my stardom. It would be fun to see how they react to Madhuri the star.
Q: Do you miss the adulation ?
A: Not at all. I'm too busy being the wife and mom. It was a dream for me to have my own family. And I have it today. I've grown up in a big family. It was very important for me to have one of my own…as important as my stardom, in fact more….I enjoyed the acting. But I was sure of how many years I'd give my career. After enjoying every bit of that I'm now enjoying domesticity.
Q: I am sure you get recognized in LA.
A: Oh yes. In the mall. They come up to have a picture taken with me. That's it. They mean well.
Q: You've come back to a different film industry…
A: Yes I do. Today's films are technically so much more advanced. And since Hindi cinema now goes to many parts of the world, they are aesthetically far better than the films earlier on. I look at some my earlier films and cringe. But that was what filmmaking was about then. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Though it's great to see the changes. I love the care taken to look into details.
Q: Do you have lots of friends in the industry?
A: Not very many. But yes I've lots of well wishers. And I know if they have something in mind they'll approach me. The project has to be worth my while. Actually there were three films I was supposed to do two years ago. But they didn't happen because I got pregnant.I guess at that point of time bringing up a baby was more exciting than doing a movie. Now people who come to me do so with concrete characters and not just random offers. That's wonderful. I'm open to all kinds offers as long as I'm not asked to do anything boring.
Q: Have you watched any films lately?
A: I saw a few songs in Bunty Aur Babli. I love the song Kajra re. Parineeta is the only one film I've seen. I liked it.
Q: You'd have fitted in it very nicely.
A: But Vidya Balan has done a wonderful job. Now that I'm here I plan to leave the two boys with my parents to catch up with the new films.
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