Madhuri Dixit’s sons don’t watch her films, but made an exception for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3: ‘I find it very odd to make them watch my movies’

Despite Bollywood's persistent efforts to woo Madhuri Dixit back during her hiatus, she prioritised her personal life, turning down numerous offers, including some from Hollywood.

After tying the knot with Shriram Madhav Nene in 1999, Madhuri Dixit relocated to Colorado, eventually becoming parents to two sons, Arin and Ryan. (Express archive photo)

Madhuri Dixit Nene is currently basking in the success of her latest outing, director Anees Bazmee’s horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which marks her first theatrical hit in five years since Indra Kumar’s Total Dhamaal (2019). What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, also featuring Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan and Triptii Dimri, emerged as a blockbuster by outperforming Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again, which features several Bollywood superstars in its cast, including Salman Khan in a cameo appearance.

Once Bollywood’s golden girl, known for delivering consecutive hits alongside leading stars, Madhuri faced a rocky journey since returning to films in the early 2010s after a hiatus following her marriage over two and a half decades ago. While she remained active in the public eye — as a judge on reality shows like Dance Deewane, producing movies and starring in projects such as the Netflix series The Fame Game (2022) — a major box office success had been elusive until now. With Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, she has finally achieved that milestone.

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Madhuri tied the knot with Los Angeles-based cardiovascular surgeon Shriram Madhav Nene in October, 1999, at the peak of her stardom, when she was both a national crush and one of Bollywood’s finest actors. After marriage, she relocated to Denver, Colorado, where the couple built a life together, eventually becoming parents to two sons.

Despite Bollywood’s persistent efforts to woo her back, Madhuri prioritised her personal life, turning down numerous offers, including some from Hollywood. “Well, there were one or two opportunities that came my way but I was pregnant with my second child at that time. I didn’t want to work when I was pregnant. That’s why I had said no,” she said during a chat with News18 Showsha. “At that time, I was so involved in making a family and living that life, which was also a part of my dreams. I didn’t really think about doing a Hollywood film. I’m happy doing what I’m doing here. And Indian films, anyway, are watched all over the world,” she added.

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Though Madhuri’s sons, Arin and Ryan who continue to live in the US pursuing their studies though their parents have relocated to India, don’t usually watch her movies, they made an exception for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. “They went to a theatre in the US with all their friends. They thought the film was very funny and they really enjoyed watching it. They loved me as a ghost. So, I can say that for this film, I’ve their approval.”

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“They’re curious. Once in a while, they watch some scenes and tell me, ‘When did you do this movie?’ They recently watched the video of K Sera Sera and told me that I was really cool in it. That’s how they sometimes watch some of my clips. Because how do I tell them that let’s sit and watch my movies? I find it very odd to make them do that and it’s not going to happen. I’ll let them discover all that with their friends,” she added. Currently in its third week in theatres, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has grossed Rs 337 crore worldwide, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.

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