Everyone mistook her for Helen: Bollywood mourns the death of 60s electrifying dancing legend Madhumati

She began her career in the late 1950s and appeared in numerous films across Hindi and regional languages, leaving her indelible mark on the screen through her expressive and versatile performances.

Madhumati's career spanned decades and featured her in memorable films such as Ankhen, Tower House, Shikari, Mujhe Jeene Do, and the perennial classic, Amar Akbar Anthony.

Her fluid movement in both classical and contemporary dance numbers—like "Tere naina talaash karein jise" from Talaash—earned her widespread acclaim.

Madhumati performing a cabaret in Night In London. Photo: YouTube Screenshot

Beyond her work as an on-screen performer, Madhumati was also a respected teacher, running a dance academy that mentored future stars, including none other than Akshay Kumar, who paid a heartfelt tribute to his "first and forever guru" upon news of her demise.

One of the recurring comparisons in media write-ups about Madhumati is with Helen and many a times audience often mistook Madhumati as Helen. There are a few reasons this comparison came up. Helen was already well established during Madhumati’s prime, and both shared a similar space in Bollywood as dancers who specialized in expressive, performance-oriented dance numbers rather than leads in conventional romantic roles.

There was a similarity in screen presence and style: grace, flair, expression. Madhumati was sometimes called “Poor Man’s Helen,” or Helen’s “competition,” not to demean her but to mark that people saw a resemblance in the kind of roles she did.

Madhumati herself reportedly spoke of the comparison — that people often mistook her performance for Helen’s, or that their looks and dancing style invited comparison, though she also said she was not bothered by it.

But despite these comparisons, Madhumati’s career had its own identity and strengths. She had strong classical dance grounding, which is not always emphasized when people talk about Helen (who is more associated with cabaret, cabaret-style numbers, and fusion in Hindi cinema). Madhumati’s early training and her ability to move between classical and Western styles gave her a versatility.

She also worked as a teacher, nurtured many students, and her dance academy became a space where she passed on her expertise. 

Her body of work appears to have had a quieter legacy compared to Helen’s, but for many in the industry she was deeply respected both for performance and for mentorship.

A photo posted on X by Vindu Dara Singh.

In his nostalgic X post, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar wrote: "My first and forever guru. Everything I know about dance, I learnt at your feet, Madhumati ji. Har ada, har expression mein aapki yaad hamesha saath rahegi. Om Shanti."

Madhumati’s style, commitment, and grace made those comparisons not just superficial, but rooted in shared ground — yet she was more than a Helen-lookalike or rival; she was an artist in her own right.