Madhuri and her Three Closeups

Words by Eshna Benegal

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This map is a digitally rendered topographic representations of South Asia (printed in 2D). In order to create these maps, Digital Elevation Data (DEM) is obtained from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and is processed and digitally rendered to create a highly detailed elevation profile of South Asia and printed on a flat surface. Two versions of the map are available, each with different hypsometric colour overlays that highlight the difference in elevation, creating beautiful artworks. (Available as print)

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Madhuri and her Three Closeups

Three —the number of shots Madhuri Dixit needs to tell a story. 

After Madhuri Dixit’s debut in 1984, film director Subhash Ghai remarked that she was a “volcano of talent.” Her dancing prowess alone pulled audiences into theatres equal to her male actor counterparts. Her songs; Choli ke peeche, Ek do teen, O Re Piya, and countless other hits shaped the future of choreography in the nation. Of course, she has had her fair share of competition; Sridevi, Aishwarya Rai and Karishma Kapoor could do more than just shake a leg. But there was one thing that set Dixit apart: her facial expressions.

In 1995, Indian film director and producer, Indra Kumar, gave audiences the film Raja. The film did nothing for the lead actor Sanjay Kapoor’s career but for Dixit, it gave her one exceptional shot. The film’s dance number, Ankhiyaan Milaoon, puts Dixit in a closeup as she draws circles with her eyes to express the word jadu or magic. This moment shot to fame and soon every MC of every reality show requested Dixit to recreate that moment. 

“Editing choices for song and dance sequences can contribute significantly to determining the meaning communicated through the dance,” says researcher Sangita Shreshthova, director of Research and Programs at University of Southern California, in her paper “Strictly Bollywood? Story, Camera and Movement in Hindi Film Dance”. A closeup, as she mentions, can highlight the eyes in a dance of seduction while a wide shot could emphasize the setting or location. For Bollywood dance especially, a closeup increases dramatic effect, drawing the viewers' eyes to choreographic gestures that could be missed. In short, Bollywood loves closeups. And with Dixit in them, even more. 

Her expressive closeups have gained cult-like popularity. The reason for their success, I hypothesize, is in India’s “classical” traditions.