She stood out in a lacklustre debut film Abodh in 1984. Then Tezaab came and she never looked back again! Sensational on screen and utterly normal and non-starry off it, they sure don’t make them like the gorgeous, graceful Madhuri Dixit anymore. On her 51st birthday, here’s reliving the magic of this stunner…

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Renowned artist M. F. Husain had been so fascinated by Madhuri in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! that he watched the film 67 times. In 2007 he booked an entire theatre to watch her comeback film Aaja Nachle. Husain made a series of paintings of her, and in 2000 made a film named Gaja Gamini starring her, which was intended as a tribute to Dixit herself.

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She studied to be a microbiologist but the lure of the arc-lights was stronger. Trained in Kathak, her amazing dancing skills nearly overshadowed her stunning acting prowess. Often referred to as the Dhak Dhak Girl, after her song "Dhak Dhak Karne Laga" from the film Beta, she is also synonymous with a host of great song-dance performances including "Ek Do Teen" (Tezaab), "Humko Aaj Kal Hai" (from Sailaab), "Chane Ke Khet Mein" (from Anjaam), "Didi Tera Devar Deewana" (from Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!), "Choli Ke Peechhe" (from Khalnayak), "Maar Daala" (from Devdas), "Ghagra" (from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani) and more.

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Termed by critics as the “industry's numero uno in every sense,” Madhuri has left her mark with a slew of stunning performances. Winner of umpteen popular awards for Best Actress, she was also awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2008. Such was her capacity to steal the show even in male-dominated films, that it was pointed out that Beta in which she co-starred opposite Anil Kapoor should have been titled Beti instead! Such was her star power that even Subhash Ghai’s ode to bad boy Sanjay Dutt, Khal Nayak saw him carve out a solid role for her as a fiery police inspector.

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She still retains her enormous charm and beauty. Ranbir Kapoor, who featured opposite her in the song ‘Ghagra’ (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani) shares that he had bribed director Ayan Mukerji to let him kiss the actress on her cheeks! “She is sincere, passionate and talented... She is wonderful,” he gushes about the actress, in whose upcoming Marathi film Bucket List he essays a special appearance. Can you blame him?!