Choreographer Shabina Khan opened up about her first break and how she ended up choreographing for every film of Salman Khan.
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00:00 Talman sir played a very very important role in my life.
00:04 I consider him as my angel.
00:06 I call him as my lucky charm.
00:08 The song in which he called me has become a hit.
00:11 If I make a film thinking about real people,
00:13 then my actors may not look good in it.
00:16 But when my actor looks good,
00:18 when he runs to his heart,
00:19 then real people pick themselves up and make a real film.
00:22 You come to our place,
00:24 shoot in that degree, in that temperature,
00:27 then you will know that you are trolling one thing
00:30 leaving the whole song.
00:31 Rest of the songs were very beautiful.
00:33 I don't see how outsiders work.
00:36 I see how I have to do it.
00:38 How I have to be called.
00:40 How to get it done, that is important.
00:42 So you have done many films with Ramgopal Verma.
00:48 Like Naach, Bhoot, Darna Mana Hai.
00:50 I have done with him for two years.
00:52 My last film was Satya 2.
00:54 How was the experience?
00:56 Because his films are horror films.
00:58 In horror films, the scope of choreography is very challenging.
01:01 And doing romantic songs or sad songs from common films,
01:05 choreography is a little different for horror films.
01:08 If you say horror films,
01:10 I did Bhoot Hoon, that song.
01:12 Which was picturized on Sunidhi Chauhan.
01:15 And I was learning editing in those days.
01:17 I have also learned editing for 6 months.
01:19 So that I understand shot taking.
01:22 So that Bhoot Hoon, I sang.
01:25 For the first time, I had brought this concept.
01:28 How to match the film footage with the songs.
01:32 Because I was learning editing.
01:34 So I told that idea to Ramgopal Verma.
01:37 Like Urmila's face,
01:39 Bhoot film's face,
01:41 it was very famous.
01:43 I merged that with Sunidhi Chauhan's shot.
01:48 So I was the first one who started this trend.
01:51 That the film's song should be brought with the item numbers.
01:55 And the song should be made with that.
01:57 That was my first song.
01:59 In which we put such shots.
02:01 After that, the trend started.
02:03 For the first time, I brought water and fire in the song.
02:05 There is no need to be afraid in the film.
02:07 That fire is burning, water is coming on the girl.
02:10 Dance is dancing.
02:11 I brought a lot of new things.
02:13 Because I was learning editing,
02:15 I felt that there are good ideas, this should be done.
02:18 So in this way, Ramuji did not leave me.
02:20 He always felt that I am a very good choreographer.
02:23 When he was giving me the first film,
02:25 he convinced my mother and me together.
02:28 That you will not become a good doctor,
02:31 as much as a good choreographer.
02:33 So I said, sir, I will do one song.
02:35 He said, I guarantee you, if you do one song,
02:37 you will love it and you will keep on doing it.
02:39 I said, okay, sir.
02:40 I picturized one song, edited it.
02:43 So I felt that this is my creation.
02:47 I have created each and every moment of it.
02:50 So I told my mother that,
02:52 mama, being a creative person is such a beautiful thing.
02:56 That what is visible on the screen of 70mm,
02:58 I have decided its clothes, its steps.
03:01 How is it going to look in each and every shot.
03:04 And thinking that so many crores of people are going to see it.
03:08 And I put the best shot.
03:10 So I said, this is the most beautiful thing,
03:12 I would want to do this more.
03:14 When an offer comes for a film or a song,
03:18 that you have to choreograph,
03:20 so how much role does the director have,
03:22 or how much role does the music director have?
03:24 Or is it given to you that,
03:26 the responsibility of this song is on you,
03:28 you create it, choreograph it.
03:31 So how much, means, all three do it together,
03:33 or is the responsibility given to one?
03:35 See, what happens is,
03:36 a director is tied to a story.
03:39 So first, the director finds a choreographer,
03:42 who can do a story song.
03:44 Not every choreographer does story songs.
03:46 So I had to come in that category,
03:48 that I can do the whole film together.
03:51 So that's why I trained myself.
03:53 So what happens is,
03:54 the director first gives me a song,
03:55 and I have to understand the story.
03:56 That this is the story of my film, this is the song.
03:58 So what I do is,
04:00 I go with the story of the flow.
04:02 I always bring a story in my songs.
04:05 Then I prepare a graph of mine,
04:07 and I present it in front of the director,
04:09 that this is the graph,
04:10 and this is the story of your character.
04:12 So directors like it,
04:13 and they say, "This is very good."
04:14 Let's do this, let's do that.
04:16 So a couple of ideas come from the director.
04:18 And then finally we get the song ready.
04:21 The director gives the situation to the music director,
04:24 and then the music director takes the situation from the director,
04:26 and makes the song.
04:28 They don't have to do anything with the choreography.
04:30 But yes, they want that,
04:32 if it's good, then the choreography will be good.
04:34 Every music director thinks that.
04:36 So then, the song is made like this.
04:38 And then after I prepare my graph,
04:40 I sit in front of the art director,
04:42 cameraman, director, actor,
04:44 and give a narration,
04:46 like a film narration.
04:48 I narrate my whole song with my team,
04:50 that the song will look like this,
04:52 this color will come.
04:53 And when everyone's wish is fulfilled,
04:55 then I prepare a PPT for it.
04:57 PPT is also very challenging these days,
04:59 because it is the age of social media.
05:01 Reel, Insta,
05:03 things all over the world go viral.
05:05 And somewhere, such videos come,
05:07 and people are amazed to see how it was done.
05:09 So how do you manage all these challenges?
05:12 I told you,
05:14 I don't make steps today,
05:16 so that this step
05:18 goes viral in Reel.
05:20 Because they follow films.
05:22 I still make it because
05:24 this is my character.
05:26 Believe me,
05:28 this formula of mine works,
05:30 because this formula is in my throat.
05:32 And every song of my film
05:34 is liked,
05:36 so the signature step is hit.
05:38 Then Reel is made on that.
05:40 If I make it thinking of Reel people,
05:42 then my actors may not like it.
05:44 But when my actor feels good,
05:46 when the mind runs,
05:48 then Reel people pick it up and make Reel.
05:50 So I keep myself very aware
05:52 what is going on in social media.
05:54 I am very much aware of what Reel is,
05:56 how it is made,
05:58 what is its base,
06:00 how far it goes viral.
06:02 I keep everything in mind.
06:04 But I work according to my character.
06:06 If my character is not Hrithik Roshan,
06:08 then he is not Hrithik Roshan.
06:10 Then how well my character
06:12 will perform my step,
06:14 I keep that in mind.
06:16 You must have seen Salman Khan's step in Tube Light.
06:18 See, his dance,
06:20 this step of mine,
06:22 he looks good doing it with the same mentality.
06:24 He has put grace in it.
06:26 Now it will not look fake.
06:28 That character which Salman sir has performed,
06:30 that is the step of the character.
06:32 And everyone has done that step.
06:34 Bringing two brothers together,
06:36 and then doing that song of Tube Light,
06:38 "Naach Re Naach"
06:40 "Naach Meri Jaan"
06:42 That song was a hit.
06:44 And in that too,
06:46 when I worked with Salman sir
06:48 for the first time,
06:50 I am a big fan of Kabir Khan.
06:52 I have seen a lot of his documentaries.
06:54 And his name was always in my bucket list
06:56 that I will work with him.
06:58 When this was the opportunity to sing,
07:00 Salman sir told me to call Shabina.
07:02 Because she will do a good story telling song.
07:04 And she is a girl with brothers and sisters.
07:06 She is very attached to her family.
07:08 She is attached to the land.
07:10 So she will bring out the love of brothers and sisters.
07:12 I think Dabangg is the film
07:14 from which you and Salman Khan
07:16 started working together.
07:18 Jai Ho!
07:20 And before that, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
07:22 Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
07:24 So how was it working with Salman sir?
07:26 I have the same thing with him.
07:28 I have been working with him
07:30 since my childhood.
07:32 My first film as an independent choreographer,
07:34 assistant,
07:36 which I was in 9th standard.
07:38 It was Khamoshi, which Salman Khan was in.
07:40 When I didn't even know who he was.
07:42 Because we didn't watch movies at home.
07:44 We didn't have a TV.
07:46 So Salman sir played a very very
07:48 important role in my life.
07:50 I consider him my angel.
07:52 And I call him Lucky Charm.
07:54 The song in which he called me,
07:56 I have been working with him since my childhood.
07:58 And when a superstar like Salman Khan
08:00 is working with you,
08:02 the whole industry thinks that you are useful.
08:04 Otherwise they think that
08:06 you are just working.
08:08 But until a star trusts you,
08:10 the industry doesn't trust you.
08:12 And this happened in my case.
08:14 And when that thing happened in my case,
08:16 Salman sir didn't call me
08:18 as a choreographer.
08:20 Suraj Bajjadia ji gave me a chance.
08:22 He called me
08:24 to work on a film.
08:26 First, there was a marriage
08:28 for that film.
08:30 He liked my work.
08:32 Then he repeated me on Prem Radhan Dhan Payo,
08:34 in which Salman sir was in.
08:36 Then I met Salman sir there.
08:38 And he called me for Jai Ho.
08:40 When I worked in that film,
08:42 when I did the whole film together,
08:44 Salman sir said,
08:46 "You used to dance well,
08:48 and you have become good at choreography too."
08:50 Then he started calling me
08:52 for all his films,
08:54 like Tubelight, Bolo.
08:56 He kept calling me to do this song.
08:58 Many songs of Dabangg
09:00 have signature steps.
09:02 Like of glasses,
09:04 belt, etc.
09:06 How did you do all that?
09:08 That song was done by Ganesh master.
09:10 I did Dabangg 3.
09:12 So the steps that Salman sir told,
09:14 the steps of glasses,
09:16 Salman sir himself gives his own steps.
09:18 He gives his own style.
09:20 He has given the style
09:22 of the belt.
09:24 When I did Dabangg,
09:26 I did this step.
09:28 I turned the belt.
09:30 So Salman sir has his own dancing style.
09:32 He does our steps in his own style.
09:34 And then he also gets a little input.
09:36 But I have been very lucky in my case
09:38 that I take Salman sir
09:40 to the options
09:42 by doing choreography.
09:44 Then everyone sees and says,
09:46 "This is good, let's do this."
09:48 I do it in my own style.
09:50 The whole world knows his style.
09:52 There was also a controversy about this song.
09:54 About Dabangg 3, Hodhod Dabangg.
09:56 In which there was a group of sadhus.
09:58 So when such a criticism
10:00 or controversy happens,
10:02 how do you take it?
10:04 First of all,
10:06 because I am a Muslim choreographer,
10:08 I always keep in mind
10:10 that if I
10:12 sing songs of worship,
10:14 like Kishan ji's worship,
10:16 then I am the maximum choreographer
10:18 who has shot songs of worship or Ganpati.
10:20 Because I
10:22 used to learn
10:24 from small Kishan Bolobada.
10:26 That I am not doing wrong.
10:28 So I used to ask my Hindu friends
10:30 or the priest in the temple
10:32 and do it in the right way.
10:34 So when this song came,
10:36 all the sadhus you are seeing
10:38 are our dancers.
10:40 So people thought they were real sadhus.
10:42 Their get-up was given like this.
10:44 We had made them sit with respect.
10:46 We had shot their close-ups.
10:48 Because they were in their own tune.
10:50 They would not dance to our tunes.
10:52 They will not do what our dancers do.
10:54 Jumping,
10:56 blowing from the mouth,
10:58 jumping on timing,
11:00 all that was choreography and they were our dancers.
11:02 But we had made them sit with respect.
11:04 We used their faces.
11:06 We kept them in the foreground.
11:08 Because when we used to talk to them,
11:10 they did not understand.
11:12 They were as big sadhus as we were in the tune.
11:14 So people had a misunderstanding
11:16 that they were not dancers, but sadhus.
11:18 They were our dancers.
11:20 We had called old dancers,
11:22 young dancers,
11:24 and some dancers from there.
11:26 We had made them do this get-up.
11:28 So the controversy came.
11:30 I took it very positively
11:32 and gave an explanation.
11:34 I wrote it in a paper
11:36 and gave it to them.
11:38 All these were our dancers.
11:40 We did not do anything wrong.
11:42 We did not insult anyone.
11:44 I went in front of everyone
11:46 and apologized if I had hurt anyone.
11:48 But I used dancers.
11:50 I proved it.
11:52 Salman Khan's recent release film
11:54 Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan
11:56 has a song called Naayu.
11:58 For that step,
12:00 there was a lot of trolling on social media.
12:02 See,
12:04 there was no step to troll.
12:06 That step just came
12:08 and it was done.
12:10 But I think
12:12 the people who trolled,
12:14 I spoke up.
12:16 I spoke up during this song.
12:18 I got angry and said
12:20 that these people are useless.
12:22 See, they were the same people
12:24 who were trolling.
12:26 I was checking their profiles.
12:28 They were the same people
12:30 who trolled Webavy Marchand
12:32 for the song Pathan.
12:34 They said that I gave a bad color
12:36 and made them dance on a bad step.
12:38 They were the same people.
12:40 They were alive and they trolled me.
12:42 There was no step to troll.
12:44 It just came and went.
12:46 It was a duet song.
12:48 There was no dance in it.
12:50 Salman Khan's fans
12:52 had to dance but they did it.
12:54 But I gave them a lot of answers
12:56 that you are useless.
12:58 You are sitting at home.
13:00 You come to our place
13:02 and shoot in that degree.
13:04 You will know that
13:06 you are trolling one thing
13:08 instead of the whole song.
13:10 You did a beautiful song.
13:12 Sometimes, you have to ignore it.
13:14 These people
13:16 say things that hurt me.
13:18 I cried.
13:20 I have been working from so long.
13:22 People gave me so much love.
13:24 When I got a criticism,
13:26 I should take it like a lesson
13:28 and move ahead.
13:30 I became more cautious
13:32 and then I did Ghadar.
13:34 Before Ghadar,
13:36 I did Uchai.
13:38 You did Uchai with Suraj Bajjaj.
13:40 Yes.
13:42 I did it with Suraj.
13:44 Amitabh Bachchan.
13:46 You did another film with him.
13:48 Budha Hoga Tera Baap.
13:50 I did that with Ram Gopal Verma.
13:52 I did that song in 6 hours.
13:54 My first paper was named
13:56 Record Breaking Song.
13:58 No one has broken my record yet.
14:00 I did that song with Raveena.
14:02 I edited it and showed it to everyone
14:04 in 2 hours.
14:06 That song was a hit.
14:08 Amitji did it again.
14:10 All the actors
14:12 who have seen me grow,
14:14 Ajay Devgn, Aamir Khan,
14:16 Amitji,
14:18 Anupamji,
14:20 they have seen me grow.
14:22 I have grown in the industry.
14:24 They used to treat me like a child artist.
14:26 Meeting them, working with them,
14:28 choreographing for them,
14:30 giving them dance steps,
14:32 those things are very different.
14:34 How do you manage that professionally?
14:36 I am a very professional person.
14:38 I am very serious about my work.
14:40 If I am not serious,
14:42 if my focus is not there,
14:44 and if my homework is not strong,
14:46 then I cannot deliver what we are talking about.
14:48 I have prepared myself for
14:50 making such songs and
14:52 such actors do such work.
14:54 For this, I have taken
14:56 every song of Anupamji very seriously.
14:58 I have taken it very seriously.
15:00 I have been a favorite of every director.
15:02 I don't see how the people outside
15:04 are working.
15:06 I see how I have to do it.
15:08 How I have to make it said,
15:10 how I have to do it, that is important.
15:12 Now, Amitji is there.
15:14 The challenge with Amitji was that
15:16 Amitji will do that step,
15:18 but how will Anupamji do it?
15:20 Bomanji is a good dancer,
15:22 but will he do the step that suits Amitji?
15:24 And then there was Danny sir.
15:26 I had to get all four of them to dance at one place.
15:28 Then the KT Go song came.
15:30 And we took that step,
15:32 that step which is
15:34 mountainous,
15:36 which connects to Nepal.
15:38 And if Amitji does all four of them,
15:40 it will look very graceful.
15:42 And I made a footstep.
15:44 It took a lot of time.
15:46 Then this step came.
15:48 It was praised a lot.
15:50 That you have to dance
15:52 with a glass.
15:54 So I went to that zone,
15:56 where I had four friends,
15:58 but I had no friends.
16:00 I had no friends in my personal life.
16:02 Because I did not get time.
16:04 I was working with 8th standard.
16:06 So all my friends,
16:08 whom I met today,
16:10 I will meet tomorrow,
16:12 I consider them as my friends.
16:14 So I did not have such friends
16:16 with whom I can go and chill.
16:18 So I asked my two brothers,
16:20 who are my friends,
16:22 to watch some videos
16:24 and be friends.
16:26 How will it happen when you get old?
16:28 What will you do?
16:30 I kept taking experiences with them.
16:32 There is a news that
16:34 Suraj Bajajya sir has already
16:36 signed you for the next film
16:38 'Prem Ki Shadi'.
16:40 So Suraj ji says that
16:42 the film which I will direct,
16:44 which Jai Masterji did with him,
16:46 his first film,
16:48 he had kept an audition for it.
16:50 He wanted only one choreographer
16:52 to work with him.
16:54 I was called for the audition
16:56 and I passed in his exam.
16:58 After that,
17:00 the film which Suraj ji will direct,
17:02 I will do the choreography.
17:04 He said this to me.
17:06 Prem Ratan Dhan Payo,
17:08 when the song was hit,
17:10 he said that now you will only do it with me.
17:12 Whatever film I will direct,
17:14 you will be my choreographer.
17:16 The shooting has started.
17:18 The shooting will start next year.
17:20 So Salman Khan will choreograph again.
17:22 Yes.
17:24 Thank you very much for talking to us,
17:26 Ms. Sabina.
17:28 I hope that your future is better
17:30 and you do good work.
17:32 She was Sabina Khan,
17:34 a famous choreographer
17:36 who was talking to us about her career
17:38 and future projects.
17:40 With cameraman Khalid, Rehan Hussain,
17:42 Lehren, Mumbai.
17:44 [Music]
17:46 (upbeat music)