At the height of her Bollywood fame, Madhuri Dixit chose love over limelight—trading red carpets for recipes. When she moved to the US in 1999 after marrying Dr. Shriram Nene, the actress embraced a life far removed from the glamour of film sets. From waking up at 5:30 AM to cook breakfast to flipping through a physical Indian cookbook for her husband’s favorite meals, Madhuri dived headfirst into domestic life. In a past conversation on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, Madhuri revealed that after moving to the US, she adjusted to a new routine that included waking up at 5:30 AM to prepare breakfast for her husband, Dr. Shriram Nene, who was then working as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Once he left for work, she’d catch a bit more sleep before starting her day.When asked about her cooking journey, the actress admitted she often surprised herself—and her husband, Dr. Nene—with her efforts in the kitchen. While there were a few slip-ups along the way, he was always supportive. She recalled one particular mishap where she didn’t realize the prawns sold in the US were pre-cooked, and ended up overcooking them in a curry until they turned chewy.She also recalled carrying an Indian cookbook with her after moving to the US and attempting to cook masala prawns for Dr. Nene. Unaware that prawns sold there were already pre-cooked, she ended up overcooking them until they turned rubbery—though he still tried to eat them. Reflecting on her husband’s work soon after their marriage, Madhuri was deeply moved by his role as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Watching him save lives made her feel that while she had entertained people, his work directly impacted society in a far more profound way.She relocated to the US in 1999 and spent over a decade there, appearing in only a handful of films during that period. In 2011, she returned to India with her family after Dr. Shriram Nene decided to give up his medical practice in the US.
