Madhuri Dixit Nene with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Niranjan Iyengar crashing a pic featuring the two most photogenic women in Bollywood; Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai.

Beauties and the... um.. East?! 

Aishwarya Rai and Shahrukh Khan in Shakti

Though it was a guest appearance in just the song, Aishwarya Rai and Shahurkh Khan's superhit number Ishq Kamina is all we remember from the Karisma Kapoor-led film Shakti. 

WIth the heavy eye-makeup and saucy stunning looks, its staggering how stunning Ash looked in the song. 

Blonde Ambition: when bad wigs happen to Bollywood babes: Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala and Urmila

 

Blonde Ambition: when bad wigs happen to Bollywood babes: Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala and Urmila 

So many... nos! 

Janhvi Kapoor poses at home

 ....and yes, all we see is the portrait of Sridevi with Boney Kapoor on the mantle. 

Madhuri Dixit by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Madhuri Dixit by Gautam Rajadhyaksha. 

Much has been written about the symbiotic relationship between dancer Madhuri Dixit and choreographer Saroj Khan, her frequent collaborations with actors like Anil Kapoor and Shahrukh Khan... but the most fruitful, flawless friendship and working relationship she shared was with the gentle giant of photography, the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksha. 

They experimented with looks, style, lighting, poses, wardrobe, wigs... With the aid of the master of makeup, Mickey Contractor. So many of Gautam da's photo essays, books had Madhuri on the cover. In her, he found his perfect muse. In him, a mentor. Fate took him so suddenly - Madhuri was in the US and couldn't even attend his funeral or prayers in time. 

Alas. A rich, photogenic chapter ended so abruptly. 

Many have worked with Dixit since and before, but nothing quite like what the holy trinity of media pulled together; Madhuri, Mickey and Gautam. 

Pooja Bhatt

 

Pooja Bhatt was a petite actress of the 90s - and decked up to the hilt here wearing Xerxes Bhathena's designer desi-wear... it looks like a child wearing grown up clothes. Like Pooja invaded Dimple Kapadia's wardrobe and tried it on for fun. The fit just isn't right. The make up is too much and the hair is... 80s big. 

Put her in summer casuals without a hint of makeup and the naturally pretty babe-next-door appears. 

She was such an icon of the care-free youth movement. 

Aishwarya Rai

90s Aishwarya Rai was unbeatable...

Juhi Chawla's quote that cost her films opposite Salman Khan

 

This quote from Juhi Chawla - said in jest - cost her many films opposite sensitive and touchy Salman Khan, who did not appreciate the humour. Khan went on to refuse any film opposite Juhi Chawla for a decade. And even then, his brief cameo in Deewana Mastana was more for David Dhawan than Juhi - who famously said in Koffee iwth Karan that Salman Khan has never spoken to her in her life! 

Needs to be noted however that no films with Salman Khan didn't cost her anything really - she had a terrific run in Bollywood and remains one of the wealthiest women in Bollywood. 

No harm, no foul! 

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke

 

Aishwarya Rai at a press conference