Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Madhuri Dixit - Sivaji Ganesan and South Screen Awards



A few days back the media was all talking  all about Madhuri Dixit’s birthday. My acquaintance with this Bollywood Diva was on three occasions. One when Madhuri made her first appearance at a public function in Chennai – the first Edition of South Screen Awards. Second at the Tamil film `Engineer’ launch and third coverage of a song sequence shoot in Chidambaram for a film `Izzataadar’ directed by Bapiah and produced by Sudhakar Bokade. It was Raghuvaran’s first film in Hindi.
The South Screen Awards was the first to hold an open air event of film awards in South. It turned into an open air event  by default and due to the enmity of then CM Jayalalithaa towards Rajinikanth who was one of the recipients.  More of that in coming days. The award function marked the public appearance of Sivaji Ganesan after a long hiatus and received the Life Time Achievement award in the presence of many Bollywood veterans. The most interesting part was that Sivaji and Madhuri had come in separate cars. Both came in  white Contessa model car parked close to each other and parked inside the venue. I was in charge of chaperoning Sivaji. Soon after the function was over, Madhuri  walked up to the car and entered with her aide. Just behind, Sivaji came and knocked on the window and smilingly asked  Madhuri – “By your leave, could I  have my  car”. A sheepish Madhuri got out and apologized and soon she was escorted to her car. Next day the dailies carried a photo of a sheepish Madhuri coming out of Sivaji’s car.
The other was the shoot in Chidambaram Lake where there were speed boats. Madhuri had come to the locale and was waiting for us. Press team from Mumbai and only Madrasi from Madras had followed Govinda from Chennai. As usual, what was to be a journey that begins after breakfast in Chennai, turned to be a post brunch ride as Govinda wakes up late and so do the Mumbai press. Some of them who woke up had  gone to Pondy Bazar to pick up Kanchivaram sarees. Poor me, used to actors turning up at early hours in the morning for shoot, had no option to be at the PRO’s room and doze off. The PRO was heading the shopping team.
A few boat rides with the lead pair and shot in different angles, it was pack up. Reason was that Govinda is a single take actor. PRO introduced me to Madhuri who greeted me and asked about my Editor ( Taraji). We drove down. On reaching the Chennai hotel, I saw Madhuri leaving for the airport as she had no scenes in Madras.
Next was the pooja of Engineer. It was a sensation. Post Roja, Aravind Swamy was the hottest guy in the nation and teamed with a Diva like Madhuri . Director Gandhi Krishna, a sishya of director Shankar and what more you need. Rahman’s music and Jeeva’s camera. Boy, the works. Any Producer’s dream project. Hot property. It all fizzled out after a 85% shoot. No idea.
In my office cabin wall, I  had  a poster of Amitabh  with Madhuri Dixit together, shot by our then Screen photographer R Krishna. The shoot took place at Big B’s house and it was a casting coup as both of them had not worked together then. Madhuri’s manager Rikku’s dedication and the immense trust that she had  in him is something that I have heard from my Screen colleagues in Mumbai. Recently, I saw photos of Rikku’s daughter’s wedding reception in which Madhuri attended with her hubby Dr. Nene.

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