The 1990s witnessed Bollywood heroines making significant strides at the box office, often taking center stage and rivaling their male counterparts. This article examines the career of an actress who repeatedly outperformed Akshay Kumar. In 1994, this particular actress, then 27 years old, managed to outshine Akshay Kumar in five separate instances, despite the actor having several successful films that year. Her dominance was significant enough to overshadow even Akshay Kumar’s box-office clout, and the film that cemented her victory has become a classic.
In 1994, Akshay Kumar had a series of hits that included ‘Main Khiladi Tu Anari,’ ‘Suhaag,’ ‘Yeh Dillagi,’ and ‘Ailaan.’ However, these successful films did not manage to surpass the overwhelming success of another release. The film that stood above all was ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun,’ a romantic drama featuring the pairing of Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan. The film resonated deeply with audiences, earning its place as a cult classic. This film’s worldwide earnings reached 128 crore against a budget of 6 crore.
At the time of the film’s release, Madhuri was 27 years old, mirroring Akshay Kumar’s age. Even though the film ‘Mohra’ also did well, the success of ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ overshadowed it. Although Akshay Kumar delivered several hit films that year, they still could not match the success of Madhuri’s film. Another notable film released during the same year was ‘Krantiveer,’ which featured Dimple Kapadia. Madhuri thus prevailed over both her contemporaries and, in a symbolic twist, the family of her acting partner.
While Madhuri Dixit’s highest-grossing film is ‘Total Dhamaal,’ which earned 232.18 crore worldwide, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ left a lasting impact and set several records. Although she may not have the same volume of work as Akshay Kumar, Madhuri continues to be a prominent figure.