Veteran Actor-Dancer Madhumati Dies At 87; Akshay Kumar And Others Pay Tributes

Hyderabad: Veteran actor and classical dancer Madhumati passed away at the age of 87. Known for her remarkable contribution to Indian cinema and dance, she's fondly remembered as an exceptional performer and often compared to contemporaries like Helen. According to reports from a paparazzi page, the funeral rites are being held today at 4:30 pm at the Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai.

Among the first to express their grief and condolences were her celebrity students and admirers, including Akshay Kumar, Vindoo Dara Singh, Chunky Pandey, and her neighbour Jaspinder Narula, along with several of her former students who trained under her guidance.

Paying tribute to his mentor, Akshay Kumar shared a heartfelt message on X along with a nostalgic photograph of the two. He wrote, "My first and forever guru. Everything I know about dance, I learnt at your feet, Madhumati ji. Har ada, har expression mein aapki yaad hamesha saath rahegi. Om Shanti."

Actor Vindoo Dara Singh also mourned her passing, remembering her as an inspiring teacher and guide. "Rest in peace, our teacher and guide #Madhumati ji. A beautiful life led, filled with love and blessings from so many of us who learnt dancing from this legend," he wrote.

Born as Hutoxi Reporter in 1938 in Maharashtra, Madhumati hailed from a Parsi family and found her niche in dancing early in life. Trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Manipuri, and Kathakali, she started her career in films with an unreleased Marathi film in 1957. Her screen presence and classical precision established her as one of the most highly regarded dancers of her time.

She was a part of some classic Hindi movies like Raja Harishchandra, Ankhen, Tower House, Shikari, and Mujhe Jeene Do. Her final screen appearance was in the 1977 blockbuster Amar Akbar Anthony.

At the age of 19, Madhumati married Deepak Manohar, a noted dancer and widower with four children. Though initially opposed by her mother, the marriage was the start of a lifetime creative collaboration. The pair later went on to perform together in Sunil Dutt's Ajanta Arts group, performing for Indian Army personnel at frontier outposts.

In her latter years, Madhumati gave herself over to teaching dance, guiding many future celebrities, among them being Akshay Kumar and Govinda, who were trained by her prior to finding stardom.

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