But she remains as grounded as ever. How?
"This credit goes to my parents because of the way they have brought me up...their values. My mother has always stood by me and even through all the ups and downs, she always had encouraging words to say to me.
"Even after marriage, I found a family where my in-laws have a thinking like my parents," said the actress, who married Sriram Nene, a US-based doctor, in 1999.
She says even though she was treated like a star everywhere she went, "I always had a reality check at home waiting for me".
"I am an actress and I have so many fans who adore me. But when I go home, I am a mother, daughter, wife...and I forget everything else," said the mother of two boys.
After her wedding, Madhuri had shifted base to Denver, and she gave the big screen a miss to realise her dream of having a family and children.
"I had never dreamt to be an actress, but when I became one I wanted to be the best. I wanted to dance and act the best, but that was on the professional level. On the personal front, having a family, kids... it was a big part of my dream because I come from a big family," said the doting mother.
She says visiting glitzy Bollywood parties that are a norm for actors was a pain for her.
"I never liked it. It was a baggage which I had to carry with me. But this (having a happy family) was something that I always wanted. When I was in Denver and raising my kids, it was part of the dream I was living," said the actress, who will soon be seen in "Gulaab Gang", perhaps a career defining role in which she portrays the leader of a gang that fights for women's rights.
