Madhuri Dixit on life after marriage: Was no more the centre of attention
Madhuri Dixit opened up about moving to the US after marrying Dr Shriram Nene and how motherhood became the focus of her life. The actor also spoke about taking on different roles over the years and why she has never been afraid to try something new.
For someone who has spent decades as one of India’s most beloved stars, Madhuri Dixit has remarkably managed to embrace every phase of life with the same grace. From ruling the box office in the 1990s to stepping away from the spotlight at the peak of her career, raising a family in the US, and later reinventing herself across films, television and streaming, the actor has rarely followed a predictable script.
In a recent chat with India Today during the promotion of her upcoming Netflix film Maa Behen, Madhuri reflected on life after marriage, navigating public scrutiny, and why she has never been afraid to challenge expectations.
The actor opened up about leaving India after marrying cardiovascular surgeon Dr Shriram Nene in 1999 and moving to the US, a decision that surprised many at a time when she was among Hindi cinema’s biggest stars. Looking back, Madhuri said the shift gave her an opportunity to live a very different dream.
“When I went there, I was not the centre of attention; my kids were. So life didn’t revolve around me. My life revolved around children. It was a very different experience, which I enjoyed completely. Because I love kids. It was one of my dreams to have kids. I was living my dream when I was there,” she said.
Madhuri also revealed that when she first met Dr Nene, he had little idea of the scale of her stardom. Having grown up in the US and dedicated his life to medicine, Bollywood was far removed from his world.
“He knew I was an actress. But not the whole impact of it which he found out when I came back,” she said with a laugh.
Years later, the actor returned to India and resumed work across films, reality television and streaming projects, while Dr Nene gradually became a familiar face to fans himself through social media appearances and public events.
The conversation also turned to another challenge that has followed her throughout her career: balancing audience expectations with her own desire to evolve.
When asked if her wholesome, family-friendly image makes experimentation difficult, Madhuri said growth has always mattered more than playing it safe.
“Yes, you do have to cater to your audience, but you also want to grow as an actor. You don’t want to stagnate and do the same roles because even that audience will start saying she is doing the same thing,” she said.
Pointing to the choices Madhuri Dixit has made over the years, the actor argued that she has consciously avoided repetition, often picking roles that challenged perceptions of what audiences expected from her.
The Devdas actor said, “If you see my career and the movie choices I have made over the years, they have all been very, very different. Even radical sometimes. That is what I want to do. I want to leave a legacy where they should say, ‘Oh, she did this. We can also do it.”
Also starring Triptii Dimri, Dharna Durga and Ravi Kishan, Maa Behen will drop on Netflix.
For someone who has spent decades as one of India’s most beloved stars, Madhuri Dixit has remarkably managed to embrace every phase of life with the same grace. From ruling the box office in the 1990s to stepping away from the spotlight at the peak of her career, raising a family in the US, and later reinventing herself across films, television and streaming, the actor has rarely followed a predictable script.
In a recent chat with India Today during the promotion of her upcoming Netflix film Maa Behen, Madhuri reflected on life after marriage, navigating public scrutiny, and why she has never been afraid to challenge expectations.
The actor opened up about leaving India after marrying cardiovascular surgeon Dr Shriram Nene in 1999 and moving to the US, a decision that surprised many at a time when she was among Hindi cinema’s biggest stars. Looking back, Madhuri said the shift gave her an opportunity to live a very different dream.
“When I went there, I was not the centre of attention; my kids were. So life didn’t revolve around me. My life revolved around children. It was a very different experience, which I enjoyed completely. Because I love kids. It was one of my dreams to have kids. I was living my dream when I was there,” she said.
Madhuri also revealed that when she first met Dr Nene, he had little idea of the scale of her stardom. Having grown up in the US and dedicated his life to medicine, Bollywood was far removed from his world.
“He knew I was an actress. But not the whole impact of it which he found out when I came back,” she said with a laugh.
Years later, the actor returned to India and resumed work across films, reality television and streaming projects, while Dr Nene gradually became a familiar face to fans himself through social media appearances and public events.
The conversation also turned to another challenge that has followed her throughout her career: balancing audience expectations with her own desire to evolve.
When asked if her wholesome, family-friendly image makes experimentation difficult, Madhuri said growth has always mattered more than playing it safe.
“Yes, you do have to cater to your audience, but you also want to grow as an actor. You don’t want to stagnate and do the same roles because even that audience will start saying she is doing the same thing,” she said.
Pointing to the choices Madhuri Dixit has made over the years, the actor argued that she has consciously avoided repetition, often picking roles that challenged perceptions of what audiences expected from her.
The Devdas actor said, “If you see my career and the movie choices I have made over the years, they have all been very, very different. Even radical sometimes. That is what I want to do. I want to leave a legacy where they should say, ‘Oh, she did this. We can also do it.”
Also starring Triptii Dimri, Dharna Durga and Ravi Kishan, Maa Behen will drop on Netflix.
