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12 iconic Bollywood songs that Saroj Khan brought to life with her choreography
Vogue India celebrates the legacy of the late powerhouse who made Bollywood’s best dance to her tunes
In a year marked by loss, comes the news of dance maestro Saroj Khan’s passing at the age of 71 due to a cardiac arrest in Mumbai. The choreographer is survived by her husband and three children, the oldest of whom, Sukaina Khan, confirmed the news this morning. Having started her career as a child artist, Khan's legacy lives on in the reels of Bollywood’s cinematic history through the superstar celebrities she choreographed—as well as the generation of fans who grew up dancing to her iconic moves within the sanctuary of their bedrooms.
Over the course of her career in Bollywood, Khan choreographed over 2,000 songs. After moving from background dancer to assistant choreographer, she became a household name with the late Sridevi’s scene-stealing performance in ‘Hawa Hawai’ from Mr India (1987). Her name soon became attached to the hitmakers of the time, including a long-standing association with dancing sensation Madhuri Dixit Nene. The duo has delivered countless blockbuster dance performances together, including ‘Ek Do Teen’, ‘Hum Ko Aaj Kal Hai Intezaar’, ‘Dhak Dhak Karne Laga’, ‘Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai’ and ‘Tamma Tamma’. Looking back at their journey together, she shared in an Instagram post, “Saroj ji was part of my journey since the beginning. She taught me a lot, not just about dance but so much more.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Kareena Kapoor Khan, who was choreographed by Khan for the popular number, ‘Yeh Ishq Hai’ in Jab We Met (2007). “Master ji always told me... ‘perr nahin chala sakti toh kam se kam face toh chala.’ That's what she taught me... to enjoy dancing, smile and smile through the eyes,” the actor said in her own Instagram post today.
Urmila Matondkar, who often trained with the veteran choreographer over the course of her career, paid an ode to the virtuoso as well. “Such a vision she was while dancing with unparalleled technical skills. Each of her songs is a masterpiece,” she reminisced in an Instagram post.
As we say goodbye to Saroj Khan, we take you on a walk down memory lane with some of the most iconic dance routines by the National Award-winning choreographer.
