Â鶹Éç

Having abandoned Bollywood at the height of her career in favour of marriage and kids, Madhuri Dixit returns to the silver screen after a five year hiatus. Best known for her superior dance skills, it comes as little surprise that a music-laden drama like Aaja Nachle would be her comeback vehicle. But director Anil Mehta's mediocre tale about a US based dancer who returns to India to save her town theatre, isn't worthy of the artiste or her huge fan base.

Having eloped with an American photographer, young dance student Dia (Dixit) is disowned by her family. A decade on she is a single mother and successful dance teacher living in New York. When news of her beloved guru's ill health reaches Dia, she returns to India to pay her final respects. Vowing to take up her guru's cause to rejeuvinate the open-air arena where she once learnt her craft, Dia is challenged by the local MP (Akshaye Khanna) to involve the townsfolk in a grand performance, or else see the property sold off to developers. But can Dia persuade a bunch of country bumpkins to bop to her beat and appreciate the importance of art?

"PAPER THIN PLOT"

Supported by a predominantly male ensemble cast, featuring the likes of Irrfan Khan and Ranvir Shorey, Ms Dixit proves she's still a match for any Bollywood hero and hasn't lost an ounce of screen charisma. Her dazzling smile and skilful ability to liven up ordinary song and dance numbers reinforces her deserved reputation. However Jaideep Sahni's paper thin plot and Salim-Sulaiman's lacklustre soundtrack fail to elevate Dixit's homecoming act to exciting heights. Instead, it's the double act of Konkona Sen Sharma's snotty nosed young woman who dreams of playing Juliet opposite local thug turned Romeo (Kunal Kapoor) that rescues the show.

Aaja Nachle (Dance With Me) is out in the UK on 30th November 2007 2007.