Amitabh Bachchan has penned a tribute to choreographer Saroj Khan who passed away Friday. In a long note posted on social media, the veteran actor recalled fond memories with Saroj Khan.
“Saroj ji .. you gave us and the industry , rhythm, style, grace of movement and the art of converting the lyrics in a song to a meaning in dance ..(sic),” Bachchan wrote in his tribute to the ace choreographer. He remembered the first time he had spotted her ‘ in the crowd of dancers in a song’ and how she went on to choreograph some of Bollywood’s evergreen numbers.
Bachchan also wrote about the best compliment he has received from Khan—for his dancing in the song 'Khaike Paan Banaras waala’ from the film Don. Bachchan said that Khan had told him she would the theatre everyday just to watch him dance to the song, and leave after the song sequence was over. “She was living in Dubai then from marriage and when DON was released she said: “I saw the film and then after, I would go to the theatre where it was released, at the time when your song ‘khaike paan.. was on , see it and come out .. I used to do it regularly every day .. I would tell the usher to let me in just to see the song and leave .. that is how much I enjoyed your dance moves ..” !! (sic),” he wrote.
He also shared the experience of receiving a one rupee coin from her, which she usually gave artists as a ‘shagun’. Calling it an immense achievement, he wrote: “Many many years later .. during the song sequence of a film I was doing .. I became the recipient of that coin .. an immense achievement.”
A three-time national award winner, Khan is known as the mother of choreography in India. In a career that spanned over four decades, she choreographed more than 2,000 songs. The most memorable tracks she choreographed for include Ek Do Teen, Dhak Dhak, Dola Re Dola and Ye Ishq Haaye.