The Leading Ladies

“Don Ko Pakadna Mushkil Hi Nahi Namumkin Hai!”  

 

Who doesn't remember Amitabh Bachchan saying this iconic dialogue from Don (1978)?

It was a time when India had always been obsessed with heroes. Whether it was Rajesh Khanna's characteristic smile, Amitabh Bachchan's angry young man persona, Salman Khan's charisma, or Shah Rukh Khan's signature open-arms pose, it was assumed that ‘heroes’ were the ones who created magic on screen and augmented footfalls. However, many Indian women will open this month's Festival Calendar on the 5th of October, celebrating twelve years of confident Vinglish speaking and close it on the 30th of October, wondering ‘Are Re Are Ye Kya Hua?’

That's because something unexpected happened then.

Two women, complete outsiders, rose up in the 1980s and 1990s to become superstars in their own right. They seldom needed the stardom of a male counterpart to define their own. “Understand? You better understand!

Many agree that the impact they have created on the Indian audience is irreplaceable. These gorgeous ladies captured the attention of the largely hero-worshiping Indian public and made their hearts go “Dhak Dhak”.

Sridevi. Madhuri. Role models, nostalgia, and superstardom. But what exactly did they do to establish such a legacy in a male-dominated industry?

1.  Redefining Bollywood Femininity

In the '70s and early '80s, the quintessential Indian heroine was supposed to be shy, calm, and reserved. Both these actresses began their careers playing such roles, but they transformed to portray more unique characters. While the image of a modern woman was still vague and often misinterpreted, it was the bubbly, happy-go-lucky Nisha in Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! (1994) and the vociferous and ebullient Manju in ChaalBaaz (1989), who brought audacious women to the screen. They presented characters with an overt cheerfulness, chic fashion sense and yet, traditional sensibility. Audiences enjoyed this version of femininity, which had been absent from the box office for a while. Besides, both have also played experimental and interesting roles with films like Sridevi's Sadma (1983), Khuda Gawah (1992) and English Vinglish (2012) and Madhuri's Sangeet (1992), Mrityudand (1997) and Maja Ma (2022).

2. The Overshadowing Game

Both Sridevi and Madhuri have been credited with overshadowing their male co-stars in several films. They carried films on their shoulders in a largely male-dominated industry. Sridevi became the face of films like Nagina (1986), Chandni (1989), and ChaalBaaz (1989) while Madhuri stole the spotlight in films like Dil (1990), Khalnayak (1993), and Raja (1995) often sidelining the male actors. Both of them have been rumoured to have achieved pay parity. There’s a famous rumour that Madhuri Dixit was remunerated more than Salman Khan for Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! (1994). Whether true or not, the fact that such rumours existed in the 1990s is a testament to unwavering stardom.

  

3. Dance - The Ultimate Feminine Niche 

When someone mentions Madhuri Dixit, the first thing that comes to mind is "Didi Tera Devar Deewana." Madhuri and Sridevi transformed on-screen dance by exploring culture and modernity through their performances where they danced solo, breaking away from the prosaic "action" niche of their male counterparts. What made their dance numbers unique were those mesmerising eyes like in Sridevi’s “Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau” and exuberant facial expressions like in Madhuri's “Chane Ke Khet Mein”. Who could have perfected Yash Chopra's vision in stunning instrumental performances in Chandni (1989) and Dil Toh Pagal Hai (1997), respectively? While Sridevi would add comical twists to her songs like in “Hawa Hawai” from Mr India (1987), Madhuri's classical finesse was exceptional in songs like “Maar Dala” from Devdas (2002). The box office was absolutely captivated by Sridevi's iconic snake dance in "Mai Teri Dushman" from Nagina (1986) and Madhuri's passionate "Dhak Dhak Karne Laga" from Beta (1992), making them superstars overnight.

 

  

  4. The Female Gaze 

Unlike their predecessors, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit catered more to the female gaze. Everything they wore became a fashion trend and a staple in every woman's wardrobe. From matrons channelling their inner Sridevi in an ethereal yellow chiffon saree swaying to "Tere Mere Hothon Pe" to teenage girls trying to set their hair in the iconic Madhuri Dixit style and dance to "Yeh Mausam ka Jaadu" (my mom included!), they were role models for women of all ages and all classes. They have inspired a range of actresses, from Vidya Balan who wanted to be “junior Madhuri” to Anushka Sharma recreating the ultimate Chandni in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), continuing their legendary legacy. The film “Mai Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon” (2003) proves the impact they had on young Indian women.  

 5. Clash!

The most important factor that helped them shine at the box office was their clash. While Sridevi was ruling the box office with successes like Himmatwala (1983) and Tohfa (1984), Madhuri Dixit emerged as a formidable competitor with her "Ek Do Teen Chaar" chartbuster in Tezaab (1988). Award ceremonies saw both of them competing for the same awards and film magazines would be ever-ready to glean information about them over the grapevine. The raging “Madhuri versus Sridevi debate” (which still continues) kept both actresses on their toes, pushing them to take on roles in both mainstream and parallel cinema, ultimately winning the hearts of audiences and critics alike.

 

Eventually, the Sridevi-Madhuri Effect has been indelible on the Indian audience because although “Cognac Sharaab Nahi Hoti”, Sridevi has definitely intoxicated the box office, and if you asked people who their “Pehla Pehla Pyar” was, it'd be Madhuri Dixit!

- Kshitij Bapat
Volunteer, Editorial Committee 2024-25