Veteran actor-dancer Madhumati dies at 84, Akshay Kumar and others pay tribute

Mumbai: Veteran actor-dancer Madhumati passed away at her residence in Juhu due to age-related issues, her close associate said on Thursday. She was 84.

Born as Hutoxi Reporter, the actor-dancer changed her name after the release of Dilip Kumar’s “Madhumati”. She became popular in the 1950s and 60s for dance performances, be it Kathak or contemporary Western.

Madhumati was the dance guru of Bollywood actors like Akshay Kumar, Chunky Pandey, Tabu and Sonam Kapoor.

Chaitanya Padukone, a journalist and close associate of Madhumati, said the actor breathed her last on Wednesday morning.

“She passed away yesterday. She told her caretaker around 6:30 am to give her some water to drink. She asked her to wake her up after a couple of hours. Around 8:30-9 am, when the caretaker went to gently wake her up, she was lifeless.

"She had already passed away. She didn’t have any kind of an ailment, but age was catching up on her. Her husband (Deepak Manohar) passed away many years ago. She stayed alone with her caretaker and house help; they didn’t have any children,” Padukone told PTI.

He said Madhumati was highly respected by many stalwarts of the Hindi film industry, from Raj Kapoor to Sunil Dutt and Rajkumar.

"She would do a lot of charity work with Sunil Dutt’s Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe, along with her husband, she would perform free of charge for the jawans at the border,” Padukone said.

According to the journalist, Madhumati used to run an academy called ‘MAA’ (Madhumati Acting Academy), she would also train students in dance.

In a heartfelt note on Instagram, Akshay remembered his "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,” the Bollywood star wrote alongside a series of throwback photos with Madhumati.

Actor Vindu Dara Singh also offered his condolences in a post on social media.

“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.

Pandey said he is “heartbroken” about the passing away of Madhumati, who he said was like a mother figure to him.

“She was instrumental in my acting career. I joined her at the age of 20-21, and she trained me in dancing. I have been trying to get into movies since I was 18, I was modelling, then I had enrolled in various classes like fight training, went to acting school, would audition as well but work wasn’t falling into place.

"She was my life coach, a mother-like person to me. Whatever confidence I’ve in me is all because of her. She opened me up as a person, I was little shy earlier, she made me bindaas,” the actor told PTI, adding he did acting workshop with Madhumati before making his debut with “Aag Hi Aag”.

Madhumati's last rites were held on Wednesday evening at Oshiwara Electric Crematorium in suburban Mumbai.