Saroj Khan
Khan in 2020
Born
Nirmala Nagpal

(1948-11-22)22 November 1948
Bombay, Bombay State, India
Died3 July 2020(2020-07-03) (aged 71)[1]
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
OccupationChoreographer
Years active1958–2020
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1961; sep. 1965)​
    Sardar Roshan Khan
    ​
    (m. 1975)​
    Children3 (2 with Sohanlal, 1 Raju Khan)

    Saroj Khan (born Nirmala Nagpal; 22 November 1948 – 3 July 2020)[2] was an Indian dance choreographer in Hindi cinema.[3] She was born in Bombay State (present day Maharashtra), India. She was best known for the dance form mujra[4][5][6][7][8] and the first woman choreographer in Bollywood.[9] With a career spanning over forty years, she choreographed more than 3000 songs. She died on 3 July 2020 of a sudden cardiac arrest.[10][11][12]

    Early life and career

    She was born Nirmala Nagpal. Her parents, Kishanchand Sadhu Singh and Noni Singh, migrated to India after partition of India. She started her career as a child artist at the age of three with the film Nazarana as baby Shyama,[13] and was a background dancer in the late 1950s. She learnt dance while working under film choreographer B. Sohanlal, the age of 13 while he was 43 years and was already married with 4 children which she did not know at the time of marriage.[14] After having three children (including one that died as an infant),[15] the couple separated; after their separation, she married businessman Sardar Roshan Khan in 1975 and changed her name after converting to Islam. The couple have one child together: a daughter, Sukaina Khan, who is known to run a dance institute in Dubai.[16] Later, she moved to choreography, first as an assistant choreographer and later getting her break as an independent choreographer, with actress Sadhana'S Geeta Mera Naam (1974). However, she had to wait many years to receive acclaim, which came with her work with Sridevi; their songs together such as Hawa Hawai in Mr India (1987), Main Teri Dushman, Dushman Tu Mera in Nagina (1986) and Mere Haathon Mein in Chandni (1989), and later her collaborations with Madhuri Dixit, starting with the hit "Ek Do Teen" in Tezaab (1988), Tamma Tamma Loge in Thanedaar (1990)[17] and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga in Beta (1992) are hailed as iconic Bollywood dance numbers. Thereafter, she went on to become one of the most successful Bollywood choreographers.[13][18]

    In 2014, Khan worked with Madhuri Dixit again in Gulaab Gang.[19] She was on the advisory board of Rishihood University.[20]

    Television appearances

    Saroj Khan appeared on a reality dance show as a member of the jury in the first season of Nach Baliye, which aired on STAR One along with two other judges. She also appeared in the second season of the same show. She has recently been a judge for the show Ustaadon Ka Ustaad, which is aired on Sony Entertainment Television (India). She appeared on the 2008 show Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan, which was aired on NDTV Imagine. She choreographed for this show. She appeared on Sony's Boogie Woogie from December 2008 as one of the judges, along with Javed Jaffrey, Naved Jaffrey and Ravi Behl. She was a judge on the third season of a popular show – Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, which began on 27 February 2009 and was aired on Sony Entertainment Television (India) alongside former Nach Baliye judge Vaibhavi Merchant and actress Juhi Chawla. She also judged the dance reality show Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan.

    In 2012, The Saroj Khan Story, a documentary produced by PSBT and Films Division of India and directed by Nidhi Tuli was released.[21][22]

    She appeared in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah as a judge in a dance competition.[23]

    She won three National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards, the most recognition of any choreographer.[9]

    Death

    Khan was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital at Bandra, Mumbai on 17 June 2020, because of breathing difficulties, and died of cardiac arrest on 3 July 2020 at the age of 71.[24]

    Selected filmography

    As writer

    Awards and recognitions

    Khan receiving the National Film Award for Best Choreography for Dola Re Dola by President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in December 2003.

    Khan was the recipient of the most National Film Awards for Best Choreography with three wins.[25]

    Year Film Nominated work Category Result Ref.
    2003 Devdas "Dola Re Dola" Best Choreography Won [26]
    2006 Sringaram All songs Won [27]
    2008 Jab We Met "Yeh Ishq Haaye" Won [28]

    Filmfare Awards

    Khan was the first recipient of the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography. Filmfare instituted this award after watching the excellent choreography and audience response in Khan's song "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab. Khan went on to have a hattrick at the Filmfare Awards winning consistently for 3 years from 1989 to 1991. She also held the record for winning the most Filmfare Awards for Best Choreography, winning 8.[29]

    IIFA Awards

    Zee Cine Awards

    American Choreography Awards

    Nandi Awards

    Kalakar Awards

    • 2011 – 19th Annual Kalakar Achiever Award for Outstanding Contribution in Dance Choreography

    The Saroj Khan Story is a 2012 Indian documentary film on Khan's life directed by Nidhi Tuli and produced by Public Service Broadcasting Trust.[30]

    Controversy

    In April 2018, Khan made statements defending the practice of casting couch,[31] stating that the film industry provides people employment and "doesn't rape and abandon" them. Following an online backlash, she apologised for her comments.[32]

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Renowned Choreographer Saroj Khan Passes Away Due To Cardiac Arrest". Mumbai Live. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    2. ↑ "Choreographer Saroj Khan passes away". The Indian Express. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    3. ↑ "Ace choreographer Saroj Khan passes away due to cardiac arrest in Mumbai". The Times of India. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    4. ↑ "Madhuri to break into mujra only once when Varun enters kotha in Kalank, Saroj Khan gives spoilers". News Nation English. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    5. ↑ Natasha Coutinho (24 August 2018). "Madhuri Dixit, Saroj Khan reunite for a mujra". Pune Mirror. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    6. ↑ "Kalank: Madhuri Dixit's mujra song to be choreographed by Remo and Saroj Khan". Deccan Chronicle. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    7. ↑ Desk, India com Viral News (3 July 2020). "'Mother of Dance': Netizens Mourn the Demise of Choreographer Saroj Khan, Say 'Another Legend Gone'". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
    8. ↑ Desk, India com Viral News (5 July 2020). "Amul India Pays Doodle Tribute to 'Mother of Dance/Choreography in India' Saroj Khan". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
    9. 1 2 Bhagat, Shalini Venugopal (3 July 2020). "Saroj Khan, Choreographer Who Made Bollywood Sparkle, Dies at 71". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
    10. ↑ "Woman behind Bollywood's biggest dance numbers dies". BBC News. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    11. ↑ Shekhar, Himanshu (3 July 2020). "Saroj Khan dead at 71, saroj khan Dies of cardiac arrest in Bandra Guru Nanak Hospital updates | Celebrities News – India TV". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    12. ↑ "Saroj Khan passes away at 71: Madhuri Dixit, Akshay Kumar, Shabana Azmi, mourn choreographer's demise". Firstpost. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    13. 1 2 Gulzar; Govind Nihalani; Saibal Chatterjee (2003). Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema. Popular Prakashan. p. 573. ISBN 978-81-7991-066-5. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    14. ↑ "Birthday girl Saroj Khan married a 43-year-old man at the age of 13". Orissa Post. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    15. ↑ "When Saroj Khan buried her eight-month-old daughter and went to shoot for 'Dum Maro Dum' song hours later". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
    16. ↑ "Saroj Khan Death: Her Original Name Was Nirmala Nagpal, First Marriage at the Age of 13, Here's All You Need To Know About The Late Choreographer!". Abp News. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    17. ↑ "'Tamma tamma loge' got okayed in the 48th take: Saroj Khan". The Times of India. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    18. ↑ Shoma A. Chatterji (28 October 2012). "Diva of Dance". The Tribune. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    19. ↑ "Madhuri is still superb: Saroj Khan". The Times of India. 22 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    20. ↑ "Board of Advisors". Rishihood University. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
    21. ↑ "She's the Dancing Queen". The Indian Express. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    22. ↑ "The real 'Dhak Dhak' girl". MiD DAY. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    23. ↑ "Saroj Khan To Appear In 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah'". Movie Talkies. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
    24. ↑ "Choreographer Saroj Khan passes away". The Indian Express. New Delhi. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    25. ↑ Desk, India com Entertainment (3 July 2020). "Saroj Khan Passes Away at 71: Here's a List of Her Best-Choreographed Songs of The Dance Maestro". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    26. ↑ "50th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
    27. ↑ "53rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
    28. ↑ "55th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
    29. ↑ "A look at veteran choreographer Saroj Khan's list of awards and honours". Zee News. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
    30. ↑ "Movie review". psbt.org.
    31. ↑ "Saroj Khan defends casting couch in Bollywood, says it at least provides livelihood". The Indian Express. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    32. ↑ Goyal, Divya (24 April 2018). "Saroj Khan's Shocker on Casting Couch: At Least Film Industry Gives Work, Doesn't Rape And Abandon". NDTV. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
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