Saroj Khan dies at 71
MUMBAI: Bollywood’s first female choreographer Saroj Khan, whose sizzling dance routines breathed life into hundreds of films, died on Friday, triggering further heartbreak in an industry already reeling from a string of recent deaths.
Khan choreographed more than 2,000 numbers during a 40-year career.
A spokeswoman for Guru Nanak hospital in Mumbai said Khan, 71, was admitted to the facility on Thursday after complaining of respiratory problems. She “was declared dead at approximately 2:30 am” after suffering cardiac arrest, the spokeswoman said.
Born Nirmala Nagpal, she joined the industry as a child actor aged just three but soon took to dancing instead, starting out as a backup dancer before becoming an assistant choreographer at 13.
MUMBAI: Legendary choreographer Saroj Khan, who made some of the biggest Bollywood stars dance to her steps in iconic numbers like “Hawa Hawai”, “Dhak Dhak” and “Ek Do Teen”, died of cardiac arrest early on Friday morning. She was 71.
The three-time National Award winner was not keeping well for some time. She was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital in Bandra on June 20 after she complained of breathing issues. She had tested negative for Covid-19.
“She passed away due to cardiac arrest at around 2.30 am at the hospital,” Khan’s nephew Manish Jagwani said. Khan is survived by son Raju Khan and daughter Sukaina Khan. Her funeral was held on Friday morning at a cemetery in suburban Malad.“We buried her at around 7 am. The prayer meeting will be held after three days,” Sukaina said. Actor Madhuri Dixit Nene, who did some of her best work with the choreographer, said Khan was her friend and “guru”.
“I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan. Will always be grateful for her work in helping me reach my full potential in dance. The world has lost an amazingly talented person. I will miss you. My sincere condolences to the family. #RIPSarojji,” Madhuri tweeted.
Akshay Kumar said Khan, who was known in the industry as ‘Masterji’, made dance look easy and accessible.
“Woke up to the sad news that legendary choreographer #SarojKhan ji is no more. She made dance look easy, almost like anybody can dance, a huge loss for the industry. May her soul rest in peace,” Akshay tweeted.
In a career spanning over four decades, Khan choreographed more than 2,000 songs. Khan’s best work was with actors Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit, the prominent dancing stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The choreographer, whose parents migrated to India after the Partition, started her career in the film industry as a child artiste at the age of three and later worked as a background dancer.