Mumbai, Dec. 1 -- There are some friendships in the film industry that outlast fame, and Madhuri Dixit's bond with legendary artist MF Husain remains one of them.

The artist was known for his extraordinary admiration for the actress who served as the muse for some of his most celebrated paintings. Madhuri has now recalled how Husain once flew across the world to visit her when she was living in Denver (in the United States). She said he told her that he had already seen her "as a big actor and a star, and as a wife," and now wanted to witness a new phase of her life as a "mother."

"He was there, and I was in Denver. He said, 'I have seen you as a big actor and a star, and as a wife. Now I want to see you as a mother, and I want to come ...