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There is a delightful story about Aliaa Bhatt narrated to me by her sister Pooja Bhatt. When Aliaa was three or four-years old, she played Pooja’s childhood in Tamanna. One day, the shot was taking longer and she was asked to rest in the makeup room. A while later, Pooja joined her in same room but Aliaa was reluctant to share the cot with her older sister. Soon there was a knock on the door to announce that the shot was ready. Before Pooja could get up, Aliaa had checked herself out in the mirror and was out! There was no doubt in her mind that the shot could have been for her sister. Not just that, she delivered a perfect one-take and then announced her pack up.

Aliaa Bhatt always knew that she was made for the camera. Madhuri Dixit was unaware of the glamour world till she got her break in films.  She made her debut in 1984 and completes four decades before the arc lights this year while Aliaa Bhatt completes a decade in show business and has to her credit some remarkable films.

This month two terrific actresses have delivered blockbusters and done entertainment industry proud. The senior actor, Madhuri Dixit on the small screen in The Fame Game on the Netflix, the story of a superstar. The junior actor, Alia Bhatt on the big screen n Sanjay Bhansali directed Gangubai Kathiawadi, the story of a prostitute.  If Madhuri’s poise and presence lent dignity to the eight-episode- web series, Alia Bhatt’s energy and power makes the film an engaging watch across all states and generations.

The characters they portray are both contradictory and similar in many ways. Actress Anamaika Anand/ Dixit heralds from a small village in Maharashtra. She wanted a normal life but her ambitious mother had big dreams for her and controlled her life. Her father is unknown, never mentioned in the series.

To be concluded