BY SUNIT JANGIR
Actress Madhuri Dixit, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, paid tribute to the ace choreographer, late Saroj Khan who died recently. Madhuri Dixit who has worked with Saroj Khan for several iconic songs including 'Ek Do Teen', and 'Dola Re Dola', still can't believe in the fact that the renowned choreographer is no more. ##
Now, Madhuri Dixit comes up with a heartfelt tribute to whom she shared a mother-daughter like a relationship. In a long post on Facebook, the actress penned her heart out and remembered all the things she will miss about the three times national award-winning choreographer. ##
Here is what Madhuri Dixit wrote (excerpts)-##
"It's still hard to believe that Master ji is no more. Losing a friend, philosopher, and guide like her is devastating. It was difficult for me to put down my grief in words. I have spent some of the best moments of my career with her. The Guru-shishya bond that we shared, the assurance that she would be my mother on the sets, I will miss everything! Today on the occasion of Guru Purnima, I pay my tribute to her. ##
I doubt if anyone can make women look so beautiful, desirable, and sensuous on-screen like Saroji ji. Being a woman perhaps she knew what would create magic. So aesthetic! The camera angles... she made everything look like poetry in motion. Enamoured by her graceful movements, I had told her once, "Saroji ji, agar aap shakkar hoti na, I would add you in my cup of tea and drink it." She would laugh heartily at this. I will miss that playful laughter! ##
I still remember the first time I met her as if it was yesterday. We were shooting Maine Rab Se from Karma. Saroj Ji asked me so many questions, one being 'Where did you learn to dance?' Unfortunately, our sequence was removed from the film but I will always cherish that memory. I will miss her many questions!##
Saroj Khan was a game changer in the industry. She was the rebel in the male-dominated profession. There were rough edges to her personality and I feel that's because life has been pretty uneven and harsh to her. She has seen poverty and had to fend for her family early on. Life's experiences had steeled her but it couldn't dent her talent. I will miss that determined and headstrong woman!##
I was smitten by her dancing style. The Nazakat, the aadayein, the elegance of every move, I have have been besotted by that. When we started working together, we made a pact. I knew we would do a lot of songs together and so, we decided not to repeat any of the movements. She agreed that we will create hook steps that people will identify with every song. She was a genius! It's such a loss. I will miss the other half of this pact!##
Many a time she would grudgingly praise my performance in songs choreographed by someone else. But Saroj ji was always encouraging. She liked my work with Prabhudeva in Pukaar or Payal meri from Rajkumar. I admired this quality in her to appreciate others, that's so rare! Many would say she was possessive about me. If that's true, I will miss her unconditional love for me!##
Dola re dola is one of her best choreography sets. Of course, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's vision has to be credited here but the way Saroj ji used the camera angles, it's marvelous. She had worked on Hoton pe aisi baat from Jewel Thief, which was filmed on Vyajayanthimala. She was an assistant to Sohan Lal ji then. So she knew the trolley movements well. She never learned dancing and yet she was flawless. Only a blessed soul can have a talent so ingrained in her. I will miss her mind!##
Saroj ji's loss is deeply personal for me. Not only because we created magic together on screen but also because she was very close to me and my family. She would demand videos of my kids playing musical instruments and my kids were equally fond of her. My younger son was part of a project which needed him to interview a celebrity who he felt had achieved a lot in life. I was pretty confident that he would ask me and was even ready to get quizzed. But he stunned me when he chose to interview Saroj Khan. When I asked why, he reminded me how I had told him about Saroj ji breaking stereotypes in the male-dominated industry. I will miss her demands for videos!##
There's no one like her and there won't be another like her. She had told me once, "Not only your body but you should emote through your face and eyes as well. Jo dil mei hai woh aankhon mei dikhna chahiye." My eyes are moist for a while now.##
Saroj ji, I will miss everything about you. I will miss your banter on the sets. I will miss your 'Perrfect'!", she concludes##
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Saroj Khan, who choreographed more than 2000 songs and was given the name 'The mother of Choreography in India', died following a cardic arrest on Friday, July 3. ##
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