Madhuri Dixit’s OTT path seems to be paved with bloodstains from a crime-scene. The actor, popular for sprinkling elegance and beauty on the big screen, has been exploring the dark side when it comes to web films and shows. A mystery looms over her character’s disappearance in her Netflix debut The Fame Game (2022); she plays a Hannibal Lecter-esque serial killer in Mrs Deshpande and in her latest, Maa Behen, she has to dispose of a dead body. As a viewer too, the actor says she has an affinity for crime films and shows. “I have always loved the genre,” says Madhuri. “I used to incessantly watch Law & Order and The Mentalist. A crime-drama brings out all kinds of emotions. There is both mystery and conflict.”
The pulpy idea of a dysfunctional family consisting of three women-- the titular Maa Behen (mother and sisters)—coming together to cover up a crime is what intrigued director Suresh Triveni to develop the film. “After I did Tumhari Sulu which was this sweet drama, I was in the mood to do something wicked,” he says. “For me, the idea of a family which doesn’t get along but now has to in order to hide a crime is a great seed for a story.”
The film, which can be best described as a feminist crime-comedy, has Madhuri playing a single mother and her daughters are played by Triptii Dimri and content-creator-turned-actor Dharna Durga. Madhuri herself has grown up with three siblings—two sisters and a brother—and we asked her if the experience helped her performance in some way. “Being on the set of Maa Behen was actually like reliving my childhood,” she says. “I come from a big family so there was always something or the other happening. I was the youngest, so I was always very footloose and fancy free. I was that child who pretended to sleep in the back of the car, hoping somebody from the family would come to lift her up and take her to bed.”
In the film, Madhuri, Triptii and Dharna are the ones doing the picking up, pulling, sliding and hiding duties. The victim is Madhuri’s character Rekha’s bossy neighbour Gupta ji, played with both menace and comedic brilliance by Ravi Kishan. The actor displays an effortless charm on screen which he says actually came after putting in a lot of effort. “In my acting, I was trying to merge naturalism with swag,” he explains. “But I think people were not able to understand what I was trying to do. It was only after Kiran Rao gave me a role and the freedom to explore it in Laapataa Ladies was when I was able to showcase what I have been working on.”
Ravi also has this uncanny ability to be naturally humorous on screen. He, however, credits it all to able directors. “In comedy, there is a possibility to go overboard. You need a director to pull the reins because performances can anytime go too loud.” Madhuri also pitches in with her viewpoint on doing comedy for the screen. “Timing is everything,” she says. “And if your co-actors are good then it works even better. But it is tough to make people laugh. Sadness is a more subliminal emotion but if the audience doesn’t laugh when an actor tries something comedic, the feedback is quite loud and direct.”
For director Suresh, the year has been going quite well. It started with the fulfillment of his dream to direct Anil Kapoor in Subedaar. Now, Maa Behen gave him the chance to work with Madhuri (the director mentions Tezaab (1988), starring both Madhuri and Anil, as his all-time favourite). It is safe to assume he is trying to get them together on the screen again. “I love Khel and Kishen Kanhaiya,” he says. “So yeah. If I get them together, it is definitely going to be for a comedy.”
