Dance master Saroj Khan was one of the finest choreographers in Hindi cinema. Throughout her illustrious career, she contributed numerous iconic songs to Bollywood. However, she was also involved in several controversies among them, a disagreement over a song with composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Bappi Lahiri, and another with actress Rekha during the shooting of the film Sheshnaag released in 1990. In a conversation with Lehren, Saroj Khan later addressed the misunderstanding with Rekha and shared that their relationship had since returned to normal. So let’s revisit this flashback interview of Saroj Khan in the latest episode of Lehren’s podcast. #sarojkhan #rekha #sheshnaag #lehrenpodcast #podcast
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00:00I don't think I'm good at all.
00:03I don't think I'm good at all.
00:05I don't think I'm good at all.
00:08We don't get any flimfair award.
00:11Why do we do labor?
00:13If I'm a bad dance, you'll give me that amount.
00:17If I'm a good dance, you'll give me that amount.
00:21I feel like you're allergic to me.
00:25I'm calling you on a rehearsal,
00:27you're not coming, shooting,
00:29you're not coming,
00:31or you'll change the dance master.
00:34Let's talk about the fact that you were shooting in the studio
00:39when you were shooting Sheshnaa.
00:41He was dancing.
00:43He was standing in a big room.
00:45How did you tell us?
00:47The producer gave us a lot of time.
00:52The recording was 26 years ago.
00:54He was 28 years old.
00:56We were meeting for rehearsal for three days.
00:58My group and us,
01:00we composed the thing at night.
01:03We asked the producer to send us a dance.
01:07Because it's very difficult to dance.
01:09So Rekhaji didn't come.
01:11I said that every day,
01:12when I was shooting in the studio,
01:13I was wearing a mask.
01:14I was dying.
01:15I felt very difficult to dance.
01:16I was not going to wear a dress.
01:17That night,
01:18I was wearing a mask.
01:20I was wearing a mask.
01:21I was wearing a mask.
01:22I was wearing a mask.
01:23Just outside.
01:24I was sitting outside,
01:25so I was asking,
01:26what's the issue?
01:27And he said,
01:28I'm not going to be canceled.
01:29So I said, I think that you are allergic to me, that I call you on rehearsal, you are not coming to the shooting,
01:39you say that I am not good, or you change the dance master to the dance master.
01:45You say to the producer, I don't want to work with Saroj.
01:48Something is bad, you don't want to work with me, say to Ayub Ji.
01:54Suddenly she turned her face and saw her eyes in her eyes.
01:59I said, I have not said anything wrong, but I feel you should shoot today.
02:04I will do the shooting, I need to do it.
02:07So she is ready, she is ready.
02:09The secretary came and said, what did you say to her?
02:13I said, I have not said anything.
02:15Basically, she is crying away.
02:18Then I went up and went and said, I have not said anything wrong.
02:23I have not said anything wrong.
02:24She said, I respect you so much.
02:26I respect you so much and you say like this, that I do not love your work.
02:30I said, no.
02:31I did not say anything.
02:32I felt that everybody has got their own favourites.
02:34See, I don't say no.
02:36Now, if Govinda calls Chini Prakash, it's because he likes him, his style suits him.
02:42Sure.
02:43If Dimple Kapadia will call Chini Prakash, I should not mind it.
02:47Just because she is my student means she must call me.
02:50No.
02:51Shri Devi calls me because she likes me.
02:54So, Rekha has got her favourite Kamal.
02:56So, why should I mind it?
02:59I mean, we basically, all the dance directors should never mind it.
03:02We have our own students.
03:04We have our own understanding.
03:05We have our own understanding.
03:06Kisi ko mere moments achse lagta hai, kisi ko nahi lagta hai.
03:09Koi ladaki ko asa bhi lagta hai.
03:11Kisai ko nahi lagta hai.
03:12Kisai ko nai lakta hai.
03:13Kisai ko bulayenge to kai woh ladakiyao ki jaisa to nahi nacha deegi.
03:15Many heroes have asked me this question.
03:18So, I say, if you all feel that way, call me, see it.
03:23If you don't like it, no problem.
03:25One time, Vinod Mehera ji was very top.
03:30Vinod Mehera ji and Vinod Mehera, at that time,
03:33the misunderstanding of Vinod Mehera and Vinod mehera,
03:37I said to him that I will not cry for women.
03:40I will change the moment.
03:42But if I look at the moment,
03:44Vinod Mehera were the only two people supporting me in this industry.
03:50Till I touched hero.
03:52They used to call me.
03:54So, I told Rekha, I said, you can tell me,
03:56that you don't want to dance with me.
03:58You can dance with Kamal.
03:59There's no problem.
04:01Lekin kisi ki shooting cha-cha din cancel ho jayate.
04:04That's not right.
04:05Nahi, aisa nahi hai.
04:07I will do this whole song and I will show you how I can dance.
04:09I said, chalo, woh gusse mein, spirit mein, woh kam toh behat acha ho gaya.
04:13I think she has never danced so beautifully.
04:16Didn't affect your work at all?
04:18No, no, no.
04:19Not at all.
04:20That controversy has become like papers,
04:22kya kya kya kya.
04:24But there was no misunderstanding between us.
04:26She danced very, very well.
04:28She went to the extent of doing all the knee movements,
04:32this movement that.
04:33She didn't change even one beat of it.
04:35He said, I will keep this hand here.
04:38No, I will not change it.
04:39I will not be here.
04:40It was that much.
04:41Maybe because of that tension between us,
04:43she did that.
04:44But she did the best.
04:46She has danced very beautifully.
04:49In the sense that Rekha Ji's dance in Sheshanag,
04:53that Shri Devi Ji's dance in Nagina,
04:56will it be better than Shri Devi Ji's dance?
04:58Is it okay?
04:59No.
05:00I can't say that.
05:01Because Nagina's situation was something else.
05:04This situation is something else.
05:06No doubt.
05:07Both of them are snake and chamash.
05:10But in both dances, there are a lot of differences.
05:13And Lakshmi Ji's music is very different.
05:16Very different.
05:18In the sense that the film is very important,
05:21you can understand that the good dance with Gita,
05:26is it also a good dance?
05:28Which way?
05:29It's very important.
05:30You don't need to say it.
05:32There are examples in front of Ram Lakkan,
05:35Teza and Tridev.
05:37What are they running on?
05:39Songs.
05:40Songs.
05:41That goes without saying,
05:42I shouldn't say it.
05:43That is like being too much,
05:45you're talking to yourself,
05:46you're watching yourself.
05:47No.
05:48Means it's understood now,
05:50the songs have taken lead.
05:53People are enjoying songs,
05:54and now people are getting conscious about it.
05:57Now, every producer you talk to,
05:58they will say,
05:59that,
06:00let's make one item,
06:01as it was as it was.
06:02Let's make one item,
06:04as it was as it was.
06:05So they are realizing it.
06:06Now we have seen songs,
06:09they are very good,
06:10very well picturized,
06:12and they are seen.
06:14So when did this happen?
06:16After everybody is shaken up,
06:18then?
06:19No.
06:20I am giving you a example,
06:22we don't get a film fair award.
06:24Why do we labor?
06:26If I am a bad dance,
06:29then you will give me that amount.
06:31If I am a good dance,
06:33then you will give me that amount.
06:35If I do labor,
06:37then there will be no aim in life.
06:39If I got a success,
06:41then I have to aim for this award.
06:43We are not doing that.
06:45If you dance director say,
06:47that your work is not good,
06:48then they will say,
06:49okay,
06:50then what do we do?
06:51Sometimes artists come,
06:52sometimes go,
06:53and who will get an award?
06:54This is the last sentence.
06:56So,
06:57we are not doing competition.
07:00Now,
07:01I am competing with myself.
07:04I am getting a good dance master.
07:06I am getting 2-3 good dance masters in front,
07:09when I am competing with myself.
07:11There is no aim in my life.
07:13Because they can't go for Oscar awards and all that.
07:17At least,
07:18we should bank on film fair.
07:19Why don't you all start this award?
07:21Lehre Awards.
07:22No,
07:23start respecting dance masters and all that.
07:25So,
07:26people should learn.