You would never think she was over 40 with two small boys by the way she looks on the latest covers of both CineBlitz and Verve magazines this year. She also beautifully graced the cover of Verve back in 2004.

Here, the stunning dhak-dhak queen of Bollywood Madhuri Dixit is decked out in an all black ensemble with scarlet red lips and nails.

The inside story discusses her comeback film Aaja Nachle, her Bollywood journey, her family and her brush with fame and recognition on a daily basis in the US.

She is definitely beauty, poise and grace personified. We look forward to all of her forthcoming films after thoroughly enjoying Aaja Nachle in November.

After Bollywood’s dancing queen Madhuri Dixit’s latest film Aaja Nachle, we wonder what new ventures might be in her future and how another Bollywood diva, namely Aishwarya Rai Bachchan feels about Dixit’s return to the silver screen.

Last seen mesmerized audiences together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, Rai doesn’t fear competition from Dixit. Rather, she says Dixit is a very talented actress and dancer and she would like to work with her again if the opportunity comes along.

“We shared a very good rapport at the time of working in Devdas and were very comfortable with each other. I want to wish her success.” said the former Miss World.

Of the four films he has done, Kunal Kapoor says he has never had so much fun. After all, at last count he’s been to 32 wrap-up parties. Referring to his newest hit Aaja Nachle he says, “We’ve celebrated any and every thing we could think of. Aditya Chopra calls us a love-sick unit because everyone seems to be in love with one another.”

Kapoor plays Imran, a small town tough yet handsome goon in Aaja Nachle. He wants nothing to do with being in a musical nor does he appreciate the affection he receives from sniffling tomboy Anokhi (Konkana Sen) who longs for him to reciprocate his undying love for her as well.

The match up of Kapoor and Sen once again after Laga Chunari Mein Daag is both comical and endearing, as the story within the story blossoms. The relationship they share in Aaja Nachle is very different from the one they shared in Laga Chunari Mein Daag; a different equation all together, but it works.

How does Kapoor feel working side by side with his favorite actress of all time - Madhuri Dixit? The star-stuck (only for Madhuri) Kapoor replies, “Madhuri … Ah,” he sighs. “I’ve worked with a lot of actresses but Madhuri is extra-special. I told her, I’ve seen Hum Aapke Hain Koun as many times as M.F. Husain saab.”

Aaja Nachle has just been a great big party for Kapoor. “It’s great fun being in an ensemble cast. Ranbir Shorey and Vinay Pathak had us in splits.”

The diva of dance returns and she brings us back in time where it seems as if she had never left in the first place. Exquisite as always in her dancing, she flashes the non-fading thousand-watt smile from the moment she comes on the screen. So with that in their favor, how does Yash Raj Films fair with Aaja Nachle?

Aaja Nachle is a film which covers several areas of life - the human spirit and its ability to survive, standing up against all odds and fighting for what you believe in - seeing it through to the end, the capability to forgive, and love (without it, it wouldn’t be a Yash Raj film). It is also a film which encompasses transformations on every level, from Anil Mehta who went from a cinematographer and writer to a director, to the characters, as well as the Ajanta Theater whose demise is the matter in question.

We follow Dia’s (Madhuri Dixit) journey from a free-spirited girl in India to America and back again. She transforms from the small town girl to a New York divorced mother in a short time after her elopement with Steve (Felix D’Alviella) the National Geographic photographer who professes his undying love for her and promises to be with her forever. Now, she must go back home after ten years and “face the music”, both literally and figuratively. Dia must channel that free-spirited, feisty attitude into one of responsibility and take on the challenge her beloved guru Makarand (Darshan Zariwala) left her before he died.

In taking on this challenge, that of saving her beloved Ajanta Theater, where she once danced, she must also transform the cast of her show from ordinary townspeople into stars of the musical she must perform to save the theater from the wrecking ball. Ajanta too sees a transformation from the ruins Dia is left to work with to a revitalized cultural arts center.

The metamorphosis of the tough but gorgeous-looking goon Imran (Kunal Kapoor) and the sniffling tomboy Anokhi (Konkana Sen) into starry-eyed lovers is both comical and endearing, as they slowly become the timeless lovers Majnu and Laila. Both Kunal and Konkana take on both parts of their respective characters beautifully and leave you cheering for more in this story within the story.

Akshaye Khanna makes his presence known as MP Raja Saab with his fight against Dia to take the shambles of Ajanta and turn them into a shopping mall. His roughness too melts away as Dia stands for what she believes in right to the end and succeeds. His subsequent trip to New York in the end leaves the door open for romance in the future … maybe.

Irrfan Khan and Divya Dutta play husband and wife, a.k.a. selfish contractor and Dia’s childhood friend Najma respectively. Although Najma goes against Dia originally because of her husband, she seeks Dia’s forgiveness and asks her to teach her to dance and live once again. After seeing her in the musical, her husband is transformed into a decent human being as well. Their performances although small are noteworthy.

Kudos to the rest of the cast comprised of Ranvir Shorey (the heartbroken tea stand owner Mohan Sharma), Dalai (Dia’s daughter Radha, who was so adorable and funny), Raghubir Yadav (the loveable Doctor), Vinay Pathak (the not so boring after all Mr. Chojar), Sushmita Mukherjee (the hopeful Mrs. Chojar), Nowaz (Dhan Kuber the outspoken vagabond), Jugal Hansraj (Sanjeev Mehta, the struggling insurance salesman), Akhilendra Mishra (easily bribed ex-MLA Chaudhary Om Singh) and Yashpal Sharma (S.H.O. Singh the caring and teasing friend of Mohan).

Praise goes to the crew who made it possible for YRF and the actors to carry out their performances in this amazing piece of work, from the writing, the choreography, the cinematography, clothing design to the photography, etc.

All those in the music department should be proud, as the music of Aaja Nachle makes you want to get up to sing and dance in the aisles of the theater.

Some critics have said there is a lack of content and a fairytale atmosphere, leaving Aaja Nachle with something to be desired. To that I say, we often talk of the escapism and fantasy elements in films, how they take us away from our mundane, stressful lives to enjoy them. So from that angle, haven’t we come to expect them to be “over-the-top” to fulfill that need of a distressing factor?

In the course of 2.5 hours, if a filmmaker can take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and still allow you to come out of the theater with a positive and subtle message that you can use in everyday life, while at the same time you enjoy the film, hasn’t he achieved his/her goal? In my humble opinion, Yash Raj Films has certainly accomplished that brilliantly with Aaja Nachle!

Ratings : 5 Stars out of 5

For the third time in Indian film history, the famous Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay story of Devdas is being remade, this time in a whole new light. Yet, even before the modern interpretation by Sudhir Mishra has begun, changes have already ensued.

The script called for Shiney Ahuja to essay the role of Devdas, Laura Dutta to play Paro and Soha Ali Khan to take on the coveted role of Chandramukhi. In the previous films, this role was performed exquisitely by two beautiful and timeless actresses - Vyjayantimala and Madhuri Dixit.

However, Khan has been dropped from the film and will be replaced by an international face. This postpones things until at least March of 2008.

Unlike the two previous versions by Bimal Roy (1955) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali (2001), Mishra’s Devdas is set in the political world. Paro is a simple girl who becomes a shrewd politician. Chandramukhi is an investment banker, rather than a courtesan.

Again it seems that Mishra misses out on working with his favorite actress and says he regrets it but looks forward to make another film with her in the new year.

In the meantime, Mishra’s Khoya Khoya Chand, starring Khan, hits the theatres this Friday - December 7th.

What: Amul Star Voice Finale
Where: Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai
When: November 24, 2007

The grand finale of the much-awaited musical reality show was held at Andheri Sports Complex. Ishmeet, who hails from Ludhiana, beat Harshit Saxena from Lucknow in the closely contested final. The event, hosted by singer Shaan, had quite a few hi-profile guests including actress Madhuri Dixit and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. The dancing queen of Bollywood entertained the audience and participants alike by singing a couple of lines of a song from her forthcoming film ‘Aaja Nachle’.

Madhuri Dixit caused hysteria as she unleashed her magic on dance reality show Nach Baliye 3. She was accompanied by her co-stars from ‘Aaja Nachle’ Kunal Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma.

After nearly a decade, an unexpected phone call shakes Dia (Madhuri Dixit) out of her dance rehearsal in New York.

Makarand (Darshan Zariwala), her teacher, her guru, is dying and she must return to Shamli town. The town where she grew up, the town where she learnt to live and to dance. Also the town she left on an impulse, severing ties with her parents and her people.

It is a poignant and troubled return; not only has her guru passed away but the institution that he so lovingly nurtured is in decay and under threat of demolition. Ajanta theatre, the once vibrant hub of the community, the place where Dia’s fondest memories are embedded must now be brought down because the local political authorities feel it a waste of prime real estate.

With the help of Doctor (Raghubir Yadav), the caretaker of Ajanta, Dia sets out on a mission to prevent the destruction and resurrect the spirit of Ajanta. In an atmosphere of mistrust, ridicule and active hostility, Dia picks up the gauntlet and agrees to achieve the near impossible task of putting together a theatrical production. She must also ensure that every member of the production is from Shamli town. She has only two months to prove her point or the bulldozers will be waiting.

In this context begins her tumultuous journey of dealing with small town prejudices, encountering the resentment of the powerful contractor, the cynicism of the local political powers, resolve the delicate tensions of inter personal relationships and rally her motley team of non starters - a low level muscle Imran (Kunal Kapoor), the local tomboy Anokhi (Konkona Sen), local ex-MLA Chaudhary Om Singh (Akhilendra Mishra), a vulnerable tea stall owner Mohan Sharma (Ranvir Shorey), a responsible government official Mr. Chojar (Vinay Pathak), a struggling insurance agent Sanjeev Mehta (Jugal Hansraj), the town vagabond Dhankuber (Nowaz) and a host of others.

She must create in this chaos in order to save Ajanta… in order to preserve what her guru so lovingly nurtured. She must create art in order to preserve what she believes is the soul of society.

The stage is finally set… Will it work? Won’t it?

Lights dim.
Crowds quieten.
Curtains rise on Ajanta.

Several actresses have made comebacks after marriage and parenthood, including our beloved Madhuri in her soon to be released Aaja Nachle. Now, another Bollywood actress is getting back into action.

National award winning actress Raveena Tandon is planning to face the camera once again. She’s been offered roles not only on the big screen, but the smaller as well, for a news channel’s nonfiction program, which for now is being kept under wraps.

With everyone anxiously looking forward to Madhuri Dixit’s comeback after a long five year sabbatical from films, you would imagine that the music for her reentry to Indian cinema would be the best they can be for the occasion. Sure enough, the compositions for the tracks of Yash Raj Films’ Aaja Nachle meet all the expectations.

Aaja Nachle is under the direction of cinematographer-turned-director Anil Mehta, and this is his debut film. The subject matter of the film is theater life and Madhuri will hold true to being a beautifully flowing dancing queen, to the music that will have you wanting  to dance with her.

Praises are due to music director Salim-Sulaiman, lyricists Jaideep Sahni and Piyush Mishra for creating the amazing tunes sung by Sunidhi Chauhan (Aaja Nachle, Soniye Mil Ja and Koi Patthar Se Na Maare), Sonu Nigam (Ishq Hua Hi Hua, Is Pal and Koi Patthar Se Na Maare), Shreya Ghosal (Ishq Hua Hi Hua, Is Pal and Koi Patthar Se Na Maare), Richa Sharma, Kailash Kher and Salim Merchant (Show Me Your Jalwa), Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (Ore Pia), Sukhwinder Singh (Soniye Mil Ja), Sonia Saigal (Dance With Me) and Marianne and Madhuri Dixit (Nachle Reprise).