Why is Madhuri still in India? - Page 4

The doc and the dhak-dhak girl

Shobhaa De, TNN Jul 24, 2012, 12.00AM IST

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(The doc and the dhak-dhak')

Gosh!! Thank God the dishy Dr. Sriram Nene has proved critics wrong by doing what he is so eminently trained to do ' offered his services to the KEM Dean, Sanjay Oak.

As a highly qualified cardio-thoracic surgeon who specialised in Mitral Valve repair surgery, Dr Nene, who has relocated to Mumbai from Denver along with the family, had been increasingly spotted attending Bollywood events along with Madhuri Dixit, his beautiful wife. There was a great deal of media speculation that the handsome doc with movie star good looks himself (a desi version ofRichard Gere), may have been flirting with the idea of turning his back on doctorgiri permanently and joining his wife's trade. Not as a hero (though, whyever not?) but as a full time manager and business partner in the lady's several ventures.

Media sources insisted he had taken complete charge of her contracts and was cracking great deals on wifey's behalf. Particularly, juicy endorsements for basmati rice and other products. He was also supposed to be steering her brand new television career in which she is making much more money than all her old hit films put together. Plus, there is the production house the duo is launching, for which they have already invested a huge amount by way of a sprawling office. As if all this is not enough, there was talk that Madhuri had asked for a plot of land for a dance academy (which she subsequently denied). Also, there is land gifted to her ages ago, being developed in West Bengal. To say nothing about the Maharashtra Government's request to get Madhuri on board as Brand Ambassador for the State (allegedly, she asked for an astronomical amount). That's a lot of work for poor ol Madhuri to handle by herself!

Given her crazy schedule what with playing Judge Sahiba on a dance reality show, and her hectic travel plans (she posted a rather strange picture of herself in disguise in front of the Taj Mahal), her loving husband must have decided to keep surgery and the scalpel on hold, till his wife's biz affairs were set in order. Why not? It's a little ironic, though, that when the two met and married in 1999, it was claimed the US-raised Nene had never heard of an Indian superstar called Madhuri Dixit! On her part, Madhuri too had played down her extraordinary status in the imagination of her countless fans, and quietly started a new life as a suburban wife of a doctor whose practice had yet to take off.

Two children later, she is back to reclaim some of the past glory and re-introduce herself to a new generation of fans. Nobody remembers her dud comeback film (Aaja Nach Le). Today's admirers are gushing over her dancing queen image on the small screen. And Madhuri is busy re-positioning herself as a Diva (slightly difficult, unless she sacks her stylist). But it is Dr. Nene who is the real surprise package, as he gamely poses next to his glam wife, dressed in typical Bollywood-ishtyle designer gear. For over a year, Dr Nene assessed the local hospital scene. It's good to know he has opted to sign on with a BMC-run public hospital like KEM in an honorary post. But that can only happen after he registers himself with the Maharashtra Medical Council. KEM, which has a waiting list of 600 patients for various heart surgeries, could certainly do with the expertise of someone like Dr Nene. And, if his gorgeous wife was to occasionally stop by and meet patients in the ward, their hearts would definitely heal that much faster!