A recent claim about Madhuri Dixit being pregnant while filming the iconic song “Dola Re Dola” from ‘Devdas’ sparked widespread discussion online. The speculation emerged after choreographer Saroj Khan’s former associate, Rubina Khan, suggested that the actor was four months pregnant during the shoot. However, Madhuri has now firmly addressed the rumour and clarified the facts.Speaking to SCREEN, Madhuri laughed off the claims and pointed to the timeline as proof that the story doesn’t add up. “Arin is born in 2003. So, you do the math.” Her elder son, Arin Nene, was born on March 17, 2003, while ‘Devdas’ had already hit theatres on July 12, 2002, after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in May that year.While denying the pregnancy rumours, Madhuri admitted that the demanding schedule during the making of ‘Devdas’ took a toll on her health. “I was under the weather because I was travelling 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.”At the time, the actor was dividing her time between Mumbai and Denver after marrying Dr. Shriram Nene in 1999. The constant travel and overnight shoots reportedly made the schedule particularly exhausting.
‘Devdas’ was Maduri Dixit’s last film before motherhood
Following her marriage, Madhuri relocated to the United States but continued working in Indian cinema. ‘Devdas’ became one of the final projects she completed before embracing motherhood and welcoming sons Arin and Ryan. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film featured Shah Rukh Khan in the title role, alongside Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Paro and Madhuri as Chandramukhi. The film was adapted from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s celebrated novel of the same name.
The story behind the iconic song ‘Dola Re Dola’
One of the film’s most memorable moments remains “Dola Re Dola”, the elaborate dance sequence featuring Chandramukhi and Paro. Interestingly, the two women never meet in the original novel. Bhansali took creative liberties by bringing the characters together for a grand dance performance that would go on to become one of Bollywood’s most iconic songs. The track was composed by Ismail Darbar, penned by Nusrat Badr and sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shreya Ghoshal and KK.
What Rubina Khan had claimed
During an appearance on the YouTube channel Bollywood Thikana, Rubina Khan recalled a specific portion of the choreography and suggested that Madhuri had faced physical difficulties while filming. “There’s a step in which Madhuri ma’am turns and sits down. That shot kept happening from 9 am to 10 pm because she was four months pregnant. So, she couldn’t turn properly and was feeling dizzy.”She further claimed, “She also had a fever at that time. She struggled a lot. She’d never ask for a step to be changed. Whatever Masterji (Saroj Khan) said was set in stone.” Madhuri’s recent clarification, however, has effectively put the pregnancy speculation to rest.
Madhuri Dixit’s legendary partnership with Saroj Khan
Madhuri and Saroj Khan shared one of the most celebrated actor-choreographer collaborations in Hindi cinema. Their journey began with the chartbuster “Ek Do Teen” from ‘Tezaab’ and continued through several iconic songs over the decades, eventually culminating with “Tabaah Ho Gaye” from ‘Kalank’.Saroj Khan passed away in July 2020, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence generations of performers and choreographers.