Madhuri Dixit on Gen Z slang: ‘I pretend to know half of it’
Synopsis
Madhuri Dixit isn't pretending to be cool — she's pretending to understand cool. The 59-year-old says her sons Arin and Ryan are her Gen Z dictionary, and she just nods along to ‘rad' and ‘LOL'. The honest confession comes as she promotes Netflix crime-comedy ‘Maa Behen', premiering 4 June.
Key Takeaways
Madhuri Dixit Nene says she ‘pretends to know' half of Gen Z slang.
She credits sons Arin (born 2003) and Ryan (born 2005) for keeping her informed.
Her Netflix crime-comedy ‘Maa Behen' premieres on 4 June .
The film co-stars Ravi Kishan , Geetanjali Kulkarni , Arunoday Singh , and Shardul Bhardwaj .
Madhuri married Dr Shriram Nene in 1999 and returned to Mumbai in 2011 .
Madhuri Dixit Nene, the 59-year-old Bollywood veteran, has admitted she does not consciously try to keep pace with Gen Z slang, instead relying on her sons Arin and Ryan to drip-feed her the latest lingo at home. The actress made the candid confession while promoting her upcoming Netflix crime-comedy ‘Maa Behen’, which premieres on 4 June.
What Madhuri said
Asked how she manages to keep up with the ever-expanding vocabulary of younger audiences, Madhuri brushed off the idea of effort. “What is there to keep up? You don't have to keep up. My kids teach me like this,” she said in an interview.
She added, “While coming and going… Mom, it's so rad. Mom, it's so cool. LOL and all that. I don't know half of them. I pretend to know them. They just, I mean, they are just around. And I just feel like young when they are around.”
Family life behind the star
Madhuri married cardiovascular surgeon Dr Shriram Madhav Nene in 1999 in a traditional ceremony in Southern California. The couple later settled in Denver, Colorado, where she lived for over a decade before returning to Mumbai with her family in 2011.
Their elder son Arin was born in 2003, followed by Ryan in 2005. Both teenagers, the actress suggests, are her unofficial cultural translators in an age of fast-shifting internet vocabulary.
About ‘Maa Behen’
Premiering on 4 June on Netflix, ‘Maa Behen’ follows Rekha, a mother already stretched thin, whose life takes a darkly comic turn when a dead body turns up in her kitchen. Alongside her two daughters — the responsible Jaya and the unpredictable Sushma — the trio must think fast and lie faster to keep nosy neighbours at bay.
The chaotic crime-comedy also features Ravi Kishan in a pivotal role, with Geetanjali Kulkarni, Arunoday Singh, and Shardul Bhardwaj rounding out the ensemble.
Why the moment resonates
Madhuri's unguarded admission lands at a time when Bollywood's senior stars are increasingly being judged on their social-media fluency. By owning up to faking it, the ‘Dhak Dhak’ star side-steps the performative youthfulness many of her peers chase — and arguably scores points with the very Gen Z audience whose slang she claims not to follow.
‘Maa Behen’ marks her latest streaming outing as she continues to balance legacy roles with contemporary, genre-bending projects.
Point of View
Madhuri's shrug is refreshingly honest — and quietly strategic. Admitting she fakes it humanises her in a way that curated Instagram reels rarely do. The ‘Maa Behen' promotional cycle is also notable: Madhuri is increasingly choosing streaming-first, genre-led roles over the legacy song-and-dance vehicles that built her brand. That repositioning, more than any slang, is the real story.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Madhuri Dixit say about Gen Z slang?
Madhuri Dixit said she does not actively try to keep up with Gen Z slang and ‘pretends to know' half of the terms. She credited her sons Arin and Ryan for naturally exposing her to the latest lingo at home.
When does Madhuri Dixit's ‘Maa Behen' release?
‘Maa Behen' premieres on Netflix on 4 June. It is a crime-comedy in which Madhuri plays Rekha, a mother who finds a dead body in her kitchen.
Who are the other actors in ‘Maa Behen'?
The film features Ravi Kishan in a pivotal role, alongside Geetanjali Kulkarni, Arunoday Singh, and Shardul Bhardwaj. Madhuri leads the cast as Rekha.
Who are Madhuri Dixit's sons?
Madhuri's sons are Arin, born in 2003, and Ryan, born in 2005. She had them with her husband Dr Shriram Madhav Nene, a cardiovascular surgeon she married in 1999.
