Picture Perfect

Madhuri Dixit Nene and husband Dr Shriram Nene on their new movie, more than two decades of married life, and the evolution of the Indian film industry

- Priyanka Bhadani

At the end of my conversation with Madhuri Dixit Nene and Dr Shriram Nene, her cardiothoracic surgeon husband, I describe Kalank—the next from Dharma Productions, which stars Madhuri with five other leading actors—as a “trademark Madhuri Dixit film”. I base the description on the grandeur, dance, music and drama in the film’s trailer, which are typical elements of a Madhuri Dixit film. She laughs heartily. Ram turns to her and asks, “Can anything really be a trademark Madhuri Dixit?” As an actor, he feels, you cannot be trademarked. You can step in anyone’s shoes.

The afternoon light filters in through the sheer curtains of the Arabian Sea-facing hotel room we are sitting in. The atmosphere in the room is warm and pleasant. The couple is here to promote the first feature production, 15 August, by their banner RnM (Ram and Madhuri) Moving Pictures. It started streaming on Netflix recently. Madhuri has been working sporadically in films in the two decades after their marriage, but the last year has been hectic. She made her acting debut in a Marathi film, Bucket List, followed by Total Dhamaal last month, and Kalank is releasing next week. She has also been busy with the production of 15 August. In between, she lent her voice for Netflix’s Mowgli and has appeared on several reality shows. “It was a busy year,” she says. “But it has been wonderful and I have enjoyed it thoroughly.”