Madhuri Dixit reveals Dhak Dhak Karne Laga was not a part of Beta originally

Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor’s Beta is still remembered by audiences, thanks to the iconic number Dhak Dhak Karne Laga. The song didn’t just cement Madhuri Dixit’s status as a pop culture legend but also earned her the nickname that still follows her—the “Dhak Dhak girl” of Bollywood. Sung by Anuradha Paudwal and Udit Narayan, with choreography by Saroj Khan, the song presented Madhuri in her most sensuous avatar yet. In an exclusive chat on Sit With Hitlist, the actress reveals how the song was shot at the last minute and included in the film.

Madhuri Dixit on Dhak Dhak Karne Laga becoming iconic

When asked if there had been a moment in her career where an unplanned thing became iconic, the actress instantly remembered the shoot of the legendary song. She shared, “Dhak Dhak Karne Laga was not there in Beta originally. At the last minute, Indra Kumar got hold of this song and insisted on having it in the movie. I had to go to Ooty to shoot. I was like, I am going for another outdoor shoot and I am not going to do it. And he was like, ‘You have to do it for me’.”

She continued, “Then I said okay, I am shooting for a film, so I can do a double shift. Then we did it in Mumbai, and we shot from 7 pm to 2 am and completed it in three days. But Baba Azmi, the DOP, didn’t like the set, and it took some time to clear things off and make what he wanted. Then Saroj Khan said, I am going to finish this in three days, and her condition was that if I say okay, the shot is finalised, you won’t ask for another take. We all agreed, and that’s how we shot it.”

For those unversed, the Central Board of Film Certification deemed the dance steps in the song to be inappropriate for audiences back then. The choreographer further shared that she gave a practical example to a lady who was among the board members sitting there and saved the song from cuts.

Madhuri Dixit on the turning point in her career

Talking about a life-changing phase in her career, she recalled, “The first turning point was me getting into films and working with Rajshri Productions in Abodh. It took a complete turn, as I was a science student and this came a long way, and I started doing it and enjoying it. The second was Tezaab, and then I just worked, and many films came my way.”