Madhuri Dixit looks even more gorgeous as Mrs Nene. Tight fitting jeans and flowing tresses, she has me transfixed at the door of her Iris Park apartment when I go to meet her for this interview. She's lost all those extra pounds, her million dollar face gleams with joy and her tinkling laughter reverberates through the house. "How do you expect me not to lose weight?" She flashes her famous smile. "On our honeymoon itself my husband Ram was teaching how to do abdominal crunches. He's a health freak. Whenever Ram gets a holiday we spend it on some outdoor sports. We generally go cycling, trekking up in the mountains, or snorkeling. I've even attempted a skiing trip with him. The fact that I fell down umpteen times and made an utter fool of myself is another story. But it was great fun because I was not conscious of the fact ke mujhe koi dekh raha hai or that I'm Madhuri Dixit. I found it hard, initially to lose my inhibitions. I just couldn't get up and go for a walk with Ram. I was not used to any freedom of action back in India or even abroad. But once I overcame that, I had a ball."😳😳
What's a typical day in the life of Mrs Nene?
That is, when you are with your husband in America, in your house. Well, Mrs Nene gets up at five in the morning. Ram has to be at work by 6 o'clock, so my day begins early.😳 I like to give him his morning cup of tea, not that he is a tea lover. In fact before we met, he never had tea but I'm very much a chai person. Ram still has only black tea.
Next, I make breakfast for him, a normal fare of eggs and toast. After which he goes to work and I promptly go back to sleep.😳 By mid-morning I would have finished cleaning the house. I love to sweep, swab, do the dishes and hoover the place. Since I have the whole morning to myself, I go grocery shopping to the malls and try to have a meal ready for Ram when he gets back from work.
We have an early dinner as Ram is really hungry after a long day, then the rest of the evening is ours. We chat, since there is so much to know about one another. At other times Ram plays the guitar and he is really good at it so the evening is touched by sheer magic.😳😳😳
Have there been any major goof-ups vis--vis your cooking?
Oh yes! Major ones! See I'm no cook. I know that and I think Ram knows that by now too. Initially I managed it to the extent of making bed-tea and breakfast. That's easy. Even making dal chawal was not that difficult. But one day I got a bit carried away and tried my hand at prawn curry. I put the prawns in first and main unko bhunti rahi, during dinner when Ram put them in his mouth they were like chewing gum. The curry was horrible too. But Ram was a great sport and didn't mind it; he just laughed his guts out.😳😉
Since then, I've been relegated to a junior position in the kitchen. Ram, who is an exceptional cook, now teaches me the fine art of cooking.😳 As for me I refrain from any more adventures with my culinary skills.😳😆 Even when I'm alone, I make do with a sandwich. Waise bhi ek aadmi ke liye kaun baneyga.
Being a doctor, his working hours must be erratic?
When he is not on call, he is at home in the evenings. But there are times when he stays back at the hospital and doesn't come home in the night too. When he is not on call, he is at home in the evenings. But there are times when he stays back at the hospital and doesn't come home in the night too. The first time it happened, I was very scared. I've never slept alone at night in my life. My mom or my dad have always been with me. This was the first time for me. So I kept my bedroom lights switched on for the whole night. Over and above that I snuggled Ram's two pet cats into my razai and only then I could sleep.😳
What about kids? Are you planning a family? Not right now. It's not possible because of my commitments. It would be unfair on my part if any producer suffered on my account. In my entire career I've never let my producers down. I see no reason for it to happen now.👏🤗👍🏼 I'll have to figure out a work plan before I decide to get pregnant.
Will that mean an end to your career and a farewell to the Film Industry? That's a decision that Ram has left entirely to me. One of us will have to be home when we have kids so I guess it will have to be me since Ram is so busy himself. In any case I'd want to be with my children. Moreover it will have to be a very exceptional film or a role for me to even consider doing. Let's see what happens in the future.
What about your in-laws, are they OK about you continuing to work? I'm very blessed you know to be married into a wonderful family. They are a small unit of four and now I'm the fifth. Ram's the only son. I have a sister-in-law, who is highly educated and a well-placed professional. Each person is into his own thing without interfering in the other's life. There are no restrictions, no untoward expectations of me as the bahu of the house. I wear anything from a pair of shorts to a traditional saree. I love wearing a mangal sutra and sindhoor in my maang, in fact my mother-in-law was very surprised at it.😳👏 They all have the right mix of Indian values and the western culture. They really have no idea about the Indian Film Industry or my so-called stardom.
They are simple people for whom I'm a professional actress. Period. In fact my father-in-law has started showing curiosity now. He surfs the net for any information on me and lets me know about it. My mother-in-law on the other hand told Ram very sweetly that I was a very good dancer and he should watch my movies. She strongly recommended my song Que sera sera from Pukar. Promptly a DVD was brought home and everyone watched it together. Ram of course got impatient halfway, because he fails to understand why we actors sing so many songs in our films. When I compare them to the old Hollywood musicals, he just laughs and is not convinced.😳😉😆
Do you think the differences in upbringing and background or even professions works well for your marriage? I think the reason we are so perfectly matched is because of the different worlds we come from. In my work area there is always room for a second take but these guys are not allowed a take-two. It's a job full of responsibility and I respect Ram for that. In fact I've accompanied him for what is termed as a 'Harvest Run' in medical parlance. It's when someone dies and his body organs are transplanted into another needy person. The whole process has to be finished in a time span of four hours. The emergency signals start flashing and the choppers hover above you to airlift the team of doctors. Everyone starts getting ready shouting instructions at one another while they put on their coats and collect the equipment to get into the ambulance. In the midst of all this, I was with Ram. I saw the whole thing, the patient, the beating heart-organ, which believe me doesn't look anything like the ones we draw or see in the comic books and strewn dead bodies and blood all over the place. I thought I'd faint, but I stuck on. It was the most humbling experience of my life.😳🤗
I marvel at the precision with which the whole task was completed. I think most of Ram's personality stems from his professional ethics. He sees people as real, he respects and values life and thus is an emotionally responsible person. Believe me; I'm very lucky to have him. A perfect co-star if I may add. Couldn't have asked for more in my life. ?😍🤗☺️
comment:
p_commentcount