Popular film choreographer Saroj Khan breathed her last due to cardiac arrest on the wee hours of Friday, leaving the entire film industry in a state of sorrow. Saroj Khan has choreographed over 2,000 songs in her four decades of a remarkable career. She won the National Award three times for ‘Dola Re Dola’ song from ‘Devdas’, ‘Ek Do Teen’ featuring Madhuri Dixit in ‘Tezaab’, ‘Ye Ishq Hai’ from ‘Jab We Met’. Saroj Khan had also choreographed for Chiranjeevi starrer ‘Chudalani Vundi’ in Telugu. She composed dance movements for ‘O Maria.. O Maria’ song in that film. Director Gunasekhar recollects the same in a chat with Klapboardpost.com
“I worked with Saroj Khan for Chudalani Vundi in 1998. She choreographed two songs for the film. When I told Ashwini Dutt that I wanted Saroj Khan to choreograph O Maria.. O Maria song, he immediately agreed and said that he will talk to her. She was a busy choreographer in India. But, still in her busy schedule, she was excited to work for a film starring Chiranjeevi, given his efforts to enhance the choreographic impact with his dance movements. Those were early days in the industry for me and Mani Sharma. After listening to the song, Saroj Khan asked about the music composer. When she came to know that Mani Sharma had composed that song, she liked the rhythms and also said that he will become a big music director in the future. When she came to Hyderabad and saw the set erected by Thota Tharani, She liked it instantly.”
Chudalani Vundi was Gunasekhar’s fourth film. He felt incredibly happy to have directed Chiranjeevi in the early stages of his career. “So, I used to carefully monitor casting, photography, art departments. She liked my commitment and encouraged me. While shooting ‘O Maria.. O Maria’ song, we were impressed for the way she composed the song and Chiranjeevi’s graceful dancing skills for her movements. Unit members used to clap for every shot of that song. Our whole team enjoyed a lot while filming that song. The audience in theatres enjoyed the song more than us after the release.”
“The Government has also awarded Nandi Award to Saroj Khan for that song. She not only composed beautiful dance movements but also captured the right expressions for the song. So, I asked Ashwini Dutt and made her compose another song Abbabba Iddu for ‘Chudalani Vundi’. The audience were thrilled with Soundarya’s expressions and Chiranjeevi’s moves while watching the song in theatres. That song has paved a way for a new trend and it is still continuing. Though she is a well established and Legendary Choreographer she always encourages new talent. Her absence is a huge loss not only for our industry alone but also for Indian Cinema. I pray that her soul rests in peace.”
