Wasn't pregnant during 'Dola Re' shoot: Madhuri shuts down rumors
What's the story
Madhuri Dixit has denied claims made by Rubina Khan, an associate of the late choreographer Saroj Khan, that she was "four months pregnant" while filming the iconic song Dola Re Dola from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas. In a recent interview with SCREEN, Dixit clarified that she wasn't expecting at that time. "Arin is born in 2003. So, you do the math," said Dixit laughingly.
Health concerns
Dixit was 'under the weather' during the shoot
Dixit further elaborated on her health issues during the shoot, saying, "I was under the weather because I was traveling a lot. I was going back and forth, shooting here and going back." "And all my shoots were night shoots. So, for me, it was very grueling. I was a little under the weather, but nothing like that." Her elder son, Arin Nene, is now 23 years old and was born on March 17, 2003.
Timeline
Timeline of 'Devdas' and Arin's birth
Dixit's clarification is supported by the timeline of her son's birth and Devdas's release. The film, which also starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, was released on July 12, 2002. It had premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23 that year. Dixit married Dr Shriram Nene in 1999 and moved to Denver, USA after her marriage.
Claims
What claims did Khan make?
In a podcast on the YouTube channel Bollywood Thikana, Khan had said, "There's a step in which Madhuri ma'am turns and sits down. That shot kept happening from 9:00am to 10:00pm because she was four months pregnant." "So, she couldn't turn properly and was feeling dizzy." Despite her health issues, Khan said Dixit never asked for changes in the choreography set by Saroj.
Film details
Know more about 'Devdas'
In Devdas, Dixit played Chandramukhi, while Rai Bachchan was cast as Paro and Khan as the titular character. The film is an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1917 Bengali novel of the same name. One of its most memorable moments was Dola Re Dola, a lavish dance sequence featuring the two leading ladies. The song was composed by Ismail Darbar and penned by Nusrat Badr. It was sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shreya Ghoshal, and KK.