Sridevi with Geetha "Ma": What did Farha Khan say about Sri on Reality TV?!

Anyone else flinch when choreograph/direcotr - and now YouTube sensation, Farha Khan said that "Sridevi was NOT a great dancer...". I can respectfully... disagree. She wasn't a learned dancer, but then, that just makes what she did on the big screen all the more incredible as she certainly looked poised and perfect, graceful and expressive, and to the beat... As we've listed before on her best numbers, she was... great. Point to note, we can all respectfully disagree without making a band baja out of it!

Sridevi with choreographer and dancer

I think the phrase of the year is going to be "AI Slop". We seem to be encountering fakes daily - like a bad penny that keeps cropping up. 

The two black and white images here are the original photographs of Sridevi and choreograph/dancer extraordinaire, Gopi Krishna. The legend directed Sridevi in only one film; Jaag Utha Insan. The AI slop is the coloured picture - an AI hallucination. Sridevi's costume was blue and white (as shown in past pics here) and the dancing legend was barefoot - not wearing patent black leather shoes while dancing. You can't see on the pic on the left as his kurta-pajama is long... 

Gopi Krishna (the legendary Kathak dancer and choreographer, 1935–1994) choreographed for Sridevi in only one film: Jaag Utha Insan (1984). In that movie (directed by K. Viswanath), he handled her three notable semi-classical/Bharatanatyam-inspired numbers, including “Tarapat Beete” , a Durga Suktam/Tandav sequence, and related dances. These are frequently praised as some of Sridevi’s early standout classical performances in Hindi cinema. 

Sridevi waiting on set: Janhvi Kapoor waiting on set

 

 Above: Sridevi waiting on sets with film director Ram Gopal Verma

 Below: Janhvi Kapoor flanked by choreographer Farha Khan and co-star Ishaan Khatter 

Saroj Khan with Sridevi on the sets of Banjaran

Saroj Khan with Sridevi on the sets of Banjaran back in 1991. 

This was one of the 25 films the choreographer and dancer/actress worked together in. 

A lot is said about the Madhuri Dixit and Saroj collabs - and deservedly so - but unlike la Dixit, Sridevi would often insist on Saroj Khan being the choreographer for her big numbers. 

It was a relationship with lots of ups and downs - just like any long, enduring friendships, there's bound to be a little friction but I'm glad they made up quickly and stayed affectionate till the end. 

Saroj Khan had a complicated life - glad there are quite a few interviews and documentaries about the iconic "dance master" aka choreographer/dance director, who truly elevated the art of film dances. She was truly great, beginning to end; her last number, Tabah ho gayi with Madhuri was a worthy swansong. I believe the last song she directed Sridevi was the truly fabulous Hakka ila re in Kaun Sachcha, Kaun Jhootha. 
 

TBT: Sridevi hits the stage with Geeta Kapur, Farha Khan and other dancers

TBT: Sridevi hits the stage with Geeta Kapur and other dancers at for a star-studded show in Abu Dhabi (UAE).

February 17, 1993

Exactly 10 years younger than Sridevi, when choreographer and dancer Geeta Kapur was a newcomer to Bollywood, she worked with reigning queen of Bollywood Sridevi on several national and international shows. Be it Ms Kapur or Farha Khan, both have stated that even though Sridevi was a superstar in a league of her own, she admired her teachers and choreographers a lot and treated them with a great deal of genuine respect and affection. 

As Farha said, "Sridevi was a Goddess and had an incredible memory. I'd forget steps and routines, but she'd remember them from rehearsals from months before." 

As a judge on a reality tv dance show, Geeta said there will never be artist like Sridevi ever again. Now Ms Kapur is a noted celebrity judge and choreographer of note who has been charming the nation with her maternal encouragement of young, new talents that appear before her annually. She's emerged from Farha's shadows to become a choreographer and star of note, of her own merit. 

Farah Khan and Sridevi: Choreographer and Dancer

Farah Khan and Sridevi: Choreographer and Dancer! 

Farah was only two years younger than Sridevi, but Sridevi was a superstar for years before Farah joined the industry. 

Also a true blue Sridevi fan. 

Saroj Khan on Sridevi's last dance on screen: She was Bollywood's Greatest

With Navrai Majhi, the actress parades those killer moves again onscreen after fifteen years. And if some were disenchanted that it was not a fully-blown Sridevi dance, Saroj Khan points out why it was even more miraculous : "Despite being one of Bollywood's greatest dancers, she deliberately dances in an awkward manner here because that is exactly how a housewife like Shashi would do. Navrai Majhi is not a dance but a performance like all her songs always were. Sri curbs her dancing skills and creates an illusion that she can't dance. For her, the character she was portraying was always more important than the star image and that made her special."

Rare pics: Sridevi and Chiranjeevi on the set of S. P. Parasuram (1994)

 

Rare pics: Sridevi and Chiranjeevi on the sets of S. P. Parasuram (1994) 

Saroj Khan's quote on Sridevi in the early 90s: "Nobody can shake Sridevi from her position"

Saroj Khan about Sridevi. Some revelatory quotes. 

"Sri is like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. And like them, is a rock, unaffected by periodic swings in star popularity. Nobody can shake her form her throne. Her charismatic value will always remain for her fans."

-- Saroj Khan 

"Sri has been nice to me in all the years of our association... If Sridevi cares for someone, it's genuine. And then she's very genrous and warm... She's the kind who's extremely helpful in times of need."

-- Saroj Khan from earlier post here.

In reality TV show Super Dancer Chapter 4, contestants' tribute to Sridevi takes judges Malaika Arora and Geeta Kapur down memory lane

Bollywood World Tour show 1994

Contestant Florina Gogoi along with her choreographer, Tusshar Shetty gave an energetic performance on a medley of late Sridevi's popular remixed songs on the Indian reality show Super Dancer 4 earlier this month.  

Super Dancer – Chapter 4 paid tribute to the evergreen actresses of the Indian Film Industry with the Bollywood Queens Special episode. 

Contestant Florina Gogoi, from Jorhat Assam, along with her choreographer, Tusshar Shetty did a fine tribute to Sridevi, replete with voiceovers and visuals of the late great actress and dancer. 

Florina and Tushar did not copy or replicate the actress' movements or outfits, instead displayed their prowess with House and old-school Hip-Hop styles on songs such as Mama Mia, Naino Mein Sapna, Hawaa Hawaai, Tu Mujhe Qabool and Meri Bindiya. 

Judges Geeta Kapur, Malaika Arora and Terence Lewis loved it - and applauded the guru-shishya duo for doing justice and paying a tribute to the screen goddess. 

Geeta Kapur, who worked with Sridevi on stage shows in the early 90s, said, “Itni badi hasti hain na Sridevi ji, unke life ko itne chote se samay main, samman dena bohot hi mushkil kaam hai. [Sridevi was such a huge phenomenon who accomplished so much in her short life, its difficult to pay tribute to her] Because her body of work is so much… Aapne sahi kaha end main, wo chaand ki chandani banker hume roz touch karti hain. [You were right to say at the end, she was a luminscent being who continues to touch our lives daily].” 

When asked by Florina, Geeta Kapur shared further anecdotes about how in the early days of her career as a dancer, she worked Sridevi on international stage shows in the early '90s.

Geeta Kapur with Sridevi - circa 1994

She said, “A long time ago, when I was really young and I used to be a dancer, I used to dance behind Sridevi during some shows. I used to stand in the wings and watch her make an entry. She used to be so calm, collected and composed before she went on stage. Nothing used to affect her, not even screams and cheers from the audience, and the moment she had to go on stage, she used to be jaise ek tej aata hai... that aura, that personality… it used to be a star entry! It used to be so joyful to watch her. People talk about how she used to switch on and switch off when she was in front of or away from the camera, but see how her work has never switched off. She's still here, amongst us.”

Geeta also revealed how Sridevi had a sharp memory. Once after several years, when Janhvi Kapoor was being launched in Dhadak, Geeta was working with the actress' daughter, and Sridevi happened to be on set. She came up to the choreographer and said, “Hello Geeta, how are you?” 

It just made Geeta’s day! 

On this note, Geeta gives a word of advice to Florina. “As you grow up and you go through your life’s journey, never forget the people who have been associated with you. Because down the line, when you meet them and say ‘hello’ they will feel nice. Toh sab ko yaad rakhna... [remember everyone] okay.”

Malaika Arora who was also a Sridevi fan, got very emotional reminiscing about the late actress who was suddenly taken away. 

Famous Fan: Prabhu Deva, "It's great to watch Sridevi dance."

Choreographer, India's greatest dancer turns 48 today. A perplexingly successful film director (Good lord, most of his movies are God-awful, but somehow seem to entertain masses), Prabhu Deva tops every best dancer list in the country, region.... if not the world. 

Years ago saw a documentary on him - the hosts went to classical dancers and innumerable famed dance artists and they all praised his skills - be it Indian or Western, Prabhu Deva does all with polish and finess - and vaudevillian humour. 

Years ago, he was asked by Filmfare, who he loved to choreograph, and the answer, was obvious. 

 

Filmfare: As a choreographer, you've worked with topnotch artistes. Whom were you most impressed by? 

Prabu Deva: Srideviji! It's a great to watch her dance, her facial expressions are amazing. Even if she makes a mistake with her movements, no one notices because her face is so alive and expressive.

More images of Prabhu Deva with Sridevi over the years here.

RIP Saroj Khan; 1948 - 2020: Bollywood's eminent choreographer, dance director breaths her last

Earlier this morning, woke up to read the sad news on social media that legendary Indian choreographer Saroj Khan is no more.

In the pantheon of greatest choreographers in the history of Indian cinema, Saroj Khan's name will shimmer and shine, whirl and twirl among the very best. If not the best...

It is with such sadness we scrolled through the news that the iconic dance instructor to every leading lady in Bollywood since the 1960s is no more. She died age 71 of a major cardiac arrest last Friday, as per reports, confirmed by her daughter. The news broke earlier today as the family kept it under wraps for a few days to let her rest in peace.

Fact of the matter is; when she stopped dancing, she stopped living. It was in her heart and soul.

Though she had many detractors and critics in a career spanning over sixty years--she started dancing as a child-artist! Saroj Khan's earliest film credit is in the movie Kalpana (1960! - as "assistant choreographer"!) and by the time she was teaching Madhuri, Juhi, Aishwarya, Kajol, she was already a legend in her own field. When she was teaching Aishwarya Rai, Khan was already an icon and all the 80s and 90s stars bowed at her feet. 

There is no debating the fact Saroj Khan enlivened the Bollywood experience with her dance direction. There were major highs and lows, but Sarojji sailed through like a battalion ship. Watch her documentaries on YouTube, her interviews on BBC, her Ted Talk; her life was anything but smooth. Her choreography however, was.

It was slick. It was current, she set trends, she invented the hook step, she revolutionised dance, she created item numbers before the phrase was coined and later corroded - she molded the concept of a Number One actress; you had to know dancing or you were not even a contender. 

As musicals died out in Hollywood, she ensured that the same fate did not hit Bollywood; her songs were a highlight, she became invaluable on a film set. She met with producers and directors and came up with concepts, art direction, even camera angles - she brought in the ideas of month long rehearsals, shoots for a dance that lasted a week, different looks, changes, novelty in every number... There are endless reports about leading ladies requesting she and only she direct their dances.

Khan kept up with the times, she knew and understand every phase of what was in trend in dance and she adapted to it. Whether it was a purely classical number that she choreographed for Malayalam films or her take on a Janet Jackson number for Bollywood in the 1980s, she worked both with equal ease.







Saroj Khan had what many others didn't; range and versatility. She was a task master, she was a disciplinarian but she cared, cared deeply for her dance troupes, the dancers, the dance union, her leading ladies and even the petrified men who shivered when she came at them with a stick! 

The infamous reports of scared stiff Sanjay Dutt during the making of Tamma Tamma is of film folklore! She was also famed for her temper and temperament, if she disciplined a newcomer on set, she also scolded the biggest stars in equal measure; they all genuflected to her when she taught. She fought with many celebrities on and off set - but she made up with every single one of them. She was the definitive Master-ji! 

The greatest dance she choreographed for Sridevi was... well, there were two we think; the finale number of Nagina, Main Teri Dushman, and Chandni's wedding anthem Mere Haathon main.

For Madhuri Dixit, its one hell of a long list... but we think its unquestionably Humko Aaj Kal Hai from Sailaab - for pure invention, ease and elegance.

The most epic, large-scale, difficult, National Award winning mother of all dances is, of course, Dola re Dola from Devdas that Saroj Khan helmed. With two leading superstars  - Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit-Nene at their finest - and over a hundred background dancers in perfect unison, synchronicity and dexterity. We've seen hundreds try to emulate that number and... fail to match up in one measure or another. 

When she saw the calisthenics, acrobatics, the Western influence on Indian dance reality shows, Khan famously quipped, "Yeh nachna hai yah circus?" [Is this dancing or a circus act?] In the winter of her life as assignments petered down, she kept her humour, if not her spirits, up.

Saroj Khan had always refused to state who her favourite dancer/star/student was, but over the years listed Vyjanthimala, Hema Malini, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai as "simply the best". 

From the guys, her answers have varied over the years but generally she repeated the names of Aamir Khan [for staying in character of the film even when dancing], Hrithik Roshan [for the technical perfection] and her all-time favourite was, Govinda [for skill, ease and most importantly, joy of dancing]. Of other choreographers... well, she spoke well of perhaps only her son Raju Khan and on occasion Shiamak Davar. Her tiffs with Farah Khan, Chinni Prakash, her contemporaries and her competitors made for great tabloid headlines and soap-operatic snippets on chat shows. 

Famously she was asked, in the 90s, during the peak of the alleged rivalry between Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit, if she had to choreograph one or the other, who she'd pick; "I'd give up both films, but I won't let it spoil my equation with either."

In an earlier feature, we had listed Sridevi's Top Ten Dances of all-time. It is of no particular surprise to anyone who knows dance that eight of them were directed by Sarojji.

We've heard 'end of an era' so often these past few years in obituaries of one celeb or another, but with the passing of Saroj Khan, a rich chapter of Indian cinema closes forever.  Dance's greatest exponent wisps away to the great beyond.

RIP Saroj Khan. Rest in Peace indeed.

Above: Saroj Khan and Sridevi on the sets of Waqt ki Awaaz (1988)
Below: Sridevi with Saroj Khan on the sets of Chand Ka Tukda (1994)

Above: Saroj Khan with Sridevi on the sets of Mr India (1987)
Below: The song and dances choreographed by Saroj Khan for Sridevi, most memorably in Mr.India, Chandni, Nagina, Lamhe and Chaalbaaz.

Choreographing Sridevi: Tushar Kalia

Choreographing Sridevi: Tushar Kalia @TheTusharKalia

Tushar Kalia @TheTusharKalia · Feb 25, 2018

I was very nervous that I have to choreograph Sridevi ma’am. She came on rehearsal & said "masterji" show me steps I’ll start. I told her please don’t call me masterji, she replied u are teaching me so u are masterji. She will always be in our hearts & will be missed #RIPSridevi

TBT: Rare Pic: Sridevi with Saroj Khan

TBT: Rare Pic: Sridevi with choreographer (or as they call her in India, "Dance Master") Saroj Khan on the sets of Waqt Ki Awaz (1988). 

Farah Khan remembers Sridevi

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  When i was just starting out in my career She was so supportive, so encouraging.. getting to Choreograph a Sridevi show or a song for her, was like a dream 4 me..no wonder I never got awed or starstruck with any other star in my entire career because I started frm the TOP! There never was n never will be anyone like SRIDEVI.. love her always ♥️( this photo is frm 1994- world tour)

Choreographer Geeta Kapur remembers Sridevi

As a background dancer, ace choreographer to reality TV judge, Geeta Kapur has paid her dues in the challenging world of Bollywood. A star in her own right now, she posted this epic throwback image after she heard the news that Indian icon Sridevi is no more.

@Geetakapur Still waiting for some one to say it’s not true !!! #gonetoosoon #queenofindiancinema #memories #sridevi #irreplaceable #rip (1963-2018) #sadma

Sridevi flanked by Farah Khan and her dancing troupe - that includes Geeta Kapur 

Sridevi and Akshay Kumar rehearsing on set!

Sridevi at the launch of Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin around the summer of 1994. With co-star Akshay Kumar, choreographer Rekha Chinni Prakash.

Saroj Khan talks about working with Sridevi: "She was fun and liked to rehearse"

Sridevi's choreographer for many of her films, "dance-master" Saroj Khan says in a recent interview that while Sonam Kapoor was one of the worst dancers (sadly, we've seen Sonam on stage, and she really is alarmingly awful!) in Bollywood, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi and Rekha remain the best. Her exact quote on Sridevi; 

"Sridevi always came for rehearsals. She is a very good dancer. Her dance had a lot of fun steps. Sridevi loved comedy songs..." 

-- Saroj Khan From Rediff 

http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-saroj-khan-rates-her-dancers/20120319.htm