Madhuri Dixit, one of Indian cinema’s most loved actors, spoke to Hindustan Times ahead of the release of her new show Mrs Deshpande, in which she plays a serial killer. With a career spanning over four decades, Madhuri has explored a wide range of roles and remained a favourite among audiences. Being cast in a dark role in this show by director Nagesh Kukunoor marked a bold turn in her career.
Female actors have portrayed negative or dark characters before, including killers, in films and shows. However, mainstream commercial stars rarely play ruthless, unredeemable killers. Madhuri attributes this change to evolving audiences and more daring filmmakers. “Times have changed, and the audience has changed. During the lockdown, people were watching a lot of series and movies from different parts of the world. They began to understand what layers are and how characters work. They have started liking those things. The audience has matured to a considerable extent due to their exposure,” she said.
Reflecting on her own journey, Madhuri added, “Having said that, if you look at my career, I started with Abodh. I did some films where I played a supporting role, and yet, I managed to be where I am. So, I think rules are made to be broken. Somewhere, we needed to do that. It is path-breaking that women are getting these kinds of roles, and we have directors like Nagesh who think like that. And we need more directors who think like that.”
Madhuri, one of the most successful female stars of the 1990s, had also experimented with parallel cinema during her peak, appearing in films like Mrityudand and Lajja. Speaking about Mrityudand, she recalled, “He (director Prakash Jha) knew I was a commercial film actress, and this was an art film. He still approached me and said, ‘I only see you in this role’. I think I have been fortunate I got to work with a lot of different kinds of genres.” She emphasized that experimentation also depends on the actors themselves. “A lot of times, because of these myths that exist, the artist doesn’t want to do that kind of film. They don’t want to change and are happy doing what they are,” she said.
Mrs Deshpande also allowed Madhuri to perform action sequences, including Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art. She performed her own stunts, even going up against a man twice her size. “It should look real; it should look believable that a woman who is so petite and looks like a normal housewife can do something like that. It has to look authentic. There’s also an element of surprise in that,” she said.
Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Mrs Deshpande also stars Priyanshu Chatterjee and Siddharth Chandekar in key roles. The show is set to release on JioHotstar on December 19.
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