Gaja Gamini (English: Woman with an elephant's gait.) is a 2000 Indian film written and directed by M. F. Husain and is his ode to womanhood and his muse of the time, Madhuri Dixit, who stars as the lead in the film with Shahrukh Khan and Naseeruddin Shah. The film was a box office disaster. Plot The central figure of the film is represented by a mysterious figure called "Gaja Gamini", who inspires, arouses, and confuses the common man. "Gaja Gamini" is the inspiration behind Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa', Kalidas' poem "Shakuntala", and a photojournalist named Shahrukh's photographs. The mysterious "Gaja Gamini" appears as four characters, one of them being Sangeeta, a blind girl from Banaras at the beginning of time, who inspires village women to revolt against a male-dominated system and carve a niche for women forever. Another character is Shakuntala, who is the subject of Kalidas' poem of the same name. Shakuntala incites jealousy in the women and love in the men around her, charming humans and animals alike in the forests of Kerala. "Gaja Gamini" is also Mona Lisa during the Renaissance, the object of painter Leonardo da Vinci's obsession. Finally, Monika, the most confusing sector of the film, is supposed to represent the woman of the New Millennium. Kamdev, the God of Love, walks the earth throughout history, attempting to win the love of "Gaja Gamini". Thrown into this mix is a large black wall, separating two different periods, and confrontations between Science and Art at different points in history, showing that the world itself can change, but its original ideas will always be the same. For example, a play by Shakespeare wrote and performed by actors in the 15th century will still be performed in the 21st century, but with different actors. The confrontations between art and science also bring about the idea that while science is firmly set on believing that which can only be proved, the basis for art is that which can be proved and an intuitive sense that can be felt. Science uses the brain, while Art uses the brain and the heart. Another facet of the film is a "gathri", a small bundle which a woman carries upon her head, like a burden, with which she must walk forever. Cast Madhuri Dixit as Gaja Gamini/ Sangeeta/ Shakuntala/ Monika /Mona Lisa Shabana Azmi as Premchand's Nirmala Naseeruddin Shah as Leonardo