From the warmth and charm of Nisha in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! to the unpredictability of a serial killer in Mrs Deshpande, Madhuri Dixit Nene has spent decades commanding the screen. While audiences may remember her as Hindi cinema’s quintessential heroine, her recent roles have revealed a performer increasingly drawn to women who are flawed, complex, and far removed from convention. In Maa Behen, she plays Rekha, the head of a dysfunctional family whose instinct for self-preservation overturns every stereotype associated with motherhood. In this conversation, Nene reflects on breaking perceptions, carrying a legacy, and why she prefers well-written comedies.
Your image on screen was that of the perfect woman. But lately, you have played interesting women, from a serial killer in Mrs Deshpande to a mysterious superstar in The Fame Game, and now an atypical mother in Maa Behen. Are these current choices liberating?
Oh, yes. Sometimes, the image you have created of yourself has to be shaken up a little bit. I look at it as different characters that I’m playing. Moreover, OTT gives you the freedom to choose these kinds of subjects because they’re made without any constraints of commercial considerations. It also allows you to be free and do what you really want to do. Take up fleshed-out characters. In Maa Behen, my character is a mother, but she is one who clearly tells her daughters that if she goes down, they go with her too. They are chaotic as a family and dysfunctional in every possible way. Today, I feel I have the freedom to choose whatever I want to do, which I find interesting in terms of characters and stories.
Did popularity determine your choices earlier?
I don’t think so. Even if you look at my older films, such as Dil, Beta, and Raja, there was something new in those characters. In Raja, I played an over-the-top kind of character who was also headstrong. So, for me, it has always been about choosing roles that constantly push the boundaries. It doesn’t need to be spelled out, but there must be something different in all of them. For example, Nisha in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! was not someone breaking new ground; it was a beautiful film about traditions, families, and people coming together, and there was an elegance to the way she carried herself. All these things are important. But then there were roles in movies like Mrityudand, Lajja, Anjaam, Pukar, which were completely different, so it’s always been in my wheelhouse that I want to do roles that are distinct and interesting to play.
You have done many comedy films in the past. Do you think Maa Behen is different from the usual template?
I believe that humour should be well-written. Writer Puja Tolani has done an amazing job of writing such a good story. She understands the characters, their language, and has a total grip on their quirks, eccentricities, and personalities, and how they are going to behave and react. So when the writing is good, then it’s something you can bounce off seamlessly. Also, I think the camaraderie between Tripti Dimri, Dharna Durga, and me worked out well. At the end of the day, acting and enacting scenes is a give-and-take, which is immediate and spontaneous. So whether we were screaming, laughing, or just in duress, it worked out well.
Do you feel the industry landscape has changed for skilled female actors?
I am so glad that people like Suresh Triveni are making the effort in that direction. Look at his films, such as Tumhari Sulu and Jalsa; they have strong female characters. Whether they are caught in chaotic, playful, or serious situations, they are always relatable. Since every person is multi-dimensional, there is a bit of everything in each one of us. I am happy that writers and directors are willing to plunge in that direction, weaving interesting yet distinct narratives around female characters.
How’s the mom era treating you on screen, since the moms you have been playing are not the stereotypical sacrificing mothers we usually find?
It is amazing! She’s real. There’s a switch in every woman, which is like her self-preservation switch, and so my character Rekha’s switch is being strong. But I think the fight for survival is what is important when it comes to women. They’re always fighting for survival.
The 90s are the mood board in cinema these days: the music, fashion, and the stories. If you were to make your debut now, what’s the one skill set you would want to learn?
They have a lot of amenities now, the kinds of comfort we never had. But even then, despite doing those four shifts a day, we still had fun. We had a great time making films and enjoyed what we did, since we all had a passion for it. But now I think I would familiarise myself more with the digital world and all that, and understand how it all works.