By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On The Eve Of Her Birthday
Madhoo Shah, born Padma Malini , made her Hindi debut with Kuku Kohli’s “Phool Aur Kante” starring newcomer Ajay Devgan, Madhoo, Aruna Irani, Jagdeep and Amrish Puri. It was a romantic thriller with music also adding to its success. Her magical chemistry with Ajay Devgan in ‘Maine Pyaar Tumhi Se Kiya Hai’ song won a million hearts. The film became super-hit all over .In the East Punjab territory it did wonders. Ajay Devgan won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut in 1991. Mani Ratnam’s Tamil hit Roja (1992) , which won the National Film Award for Best Film on National Integration added another feather in her cap.
Ratnam’s “Roja” (1992), a Tamil romantic-thriller drama featuring Arvind Swami and Madhoo. The story center around a husband & his wife. The husband is kidnapped by militants during a secret undercover mission in Jammu and Kashmir & his wife struggles to find him. The film’s shooting was to be done at locations in Kashmir but due to extreme terrorism it was shifted to locales in Manali ( HP ) & Ooty & Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. The film received positive reviews and did wonders at the box office front winning two National & two Filmfare Best Award (South) besides many other awards.
Madhoo, niece of actress Hema Malini, married Anand Shah in 1999 . The couple is blessed with two daughters Amaya and Keia. Madhoo’s husband is the cousin of Jay Mehta ,actress Juhi Chawla’s husband .
Though the actress predominantly appeard in Tamil.Telugu Malayalam and Kannada films, she continued doing Hindi films in between like- ‘Pehchaan’, ‘Elaan’, ‘Zaalim’, ‘Mohini’ ,’Diya Aur Toofan’, ‘Hathkadi’, ‘Ravan Raaj’, ‘Hum Hain Bemisaal’, ‘Diljle’ , ‘Return of Jewel Thief’, ‘Ustadon Ke Ustad’, ‘Yeshwant’, ‘Zulm-O-Sitam’, ‘Sar Utha Ke Jiyo’ , ‘Nail Polish’ & much publisized ‘Thalaivi’, to mention some. As a child artist she worked in films as baby Madhoo Malini.
I met the loveliness personified ,svelte & affable actress in 1991 & 1992 and interviewed her at length at Chandivali Studio, Goregaon. Although I met & interviewed almost all Top stars of Bollywood, my website profile and page carries her picture with me .She adorned my timeline until February, 2022. Madhoo, stands 5 foot 6 ,weighs 56 kg & measures 34-28-36.
She has been Host to the DD National music television series ‘Rangoli’ since 2019. She was also seen in ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’ as Guest along with Juhi Chawla & Ayesha Jhulka in 2021. She recently graced ‘Super Dancer: Chapter 4’ as a special guest. Hema Malini & Hrithik Roshan are her favourite actors.
Born March 26, 1969 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
