Madhuri Dixit was a teenager when their neighbour Govind Moonis, working with Rajshri Productions, was on the lookout for a new face for Abodh. He discussed the idea with the Dixits and they agreed since they had known Govind for years. Madhuri agreed because she loved dancing and believed that the film would open opportunities for her to perform Kathak on a bigger platform.

Abodh sank without a trace. In the meantime, Madhuri, while completing her graduation, signed up for many forgettable films like Awara Baap and Swati in which she played second lead to Meenakshi Seshadri. She was shooting for Manav Hatya with Rajan Sippy in Kashmir when her hairdresser Khatoon -- who had been with Aruna Irani for many years took her to meet Subhash Ghai while he was shooting for Karma at a nearby location.

Subhash Ghai recognised her potential as a star, but before he could introduce her under his production, he needed to bail her out of her B-grade banner history. Ghai convinced producers Boney Kapoor and Pradeep Sharma to sign a film with her and the trio launched her in a magnificent ad campaign in Hindi cinema's oldest film weekly Screen which revealed her face bit by bit every week so by the end of the month everybody was curious about Subhash Ghai's new heroine in Uttar Dakshin (1987). Come Tezaab (1988) and Ram Lakhan, Parinda and Prem Pratigya (1989), and a star was born!