Article : The GRAND master-ji

The Grand MasterJi

Jaskiran Kapoor

As a little girl, she would follow the shadows and learn the steps. There was no guru, just a wall and her reflection. For a while, her mother thought she was a special child, which Nirmala Sadhu Khan was, in a very talented sort of way. "She took me to a doctor who told her that I had a talent and should get work in Bollywood," that's how Nirmala became Saroj Khan. It's been such a long journey, and Saroj would rather not look back. "I can't begin to tell how difficult it was," she speaks slowly and softly, in a measured tone. At a press conference organised by JSR Productions at the Taj, Khan was here to felicitate winners of Dance Mania 2008 at the Tagore.

"It has been a struggle, winning the trust of producers, breaking the monopoly of men...no one wanted a woman choreographer," nevertheless, Saroj proved them all wrong. From her fantastic whistleblowing to 100 rupees shagan to composing some of the most memorable performances on Indian cinema, Khan's still the grand Masterji, the godmother of choreography. "For me, dance is abhinaya," she marks the turning points of her life - learning from the best, B Sohanlal, choreographing Vyjantimala, Sadhna, Nutan and Raj Kapoor in Nigaahein Milaane Ko Jee Chahta Hai, working for PL Santoshi, then his son, Raj Kumar Santoshi, dancing with Madhuri..."I don't think I'll ever find another Madhuri. She's in her own league. Nowadays, actresses make a face at rehearsal, but Madhuri would go that extra mile," Khan goes soft. So, how does she manage to make the women sizzle on screen? "How would a man want to see his woman...I think that and then compose the steps. Similarly, with male actors, I see their plus points. You can't just throw movements at them, you've got to work around their strengths."

A little miffed with the MTV generation of dance masters, Khan points out how they don't move according to the meaning of the song. "Words are important, and it's frustrating when dancers, directors and producers disregard it and go in for a name like salsa or chachacha," she, however, feels it's a cycle for now, dancers are taking their jobs seriously. "A lot of them have learnt through my show, Nachle Ve, and the profession is now getting its due credit." But when it comes to dance reality shows, she has her reservations. "They've become false; I don't get emotional, but the two judges with me on Jhalak overdo it sometimes," she winks. Talking about Jhalak, we hear Hard Kaur's floored Masterji. "She's superb, and enjoys dancing. You see, no one's a born dancer. Look at Shah Rukh...I don't think he can dance. Khaike Paan was much a better version and had a better dancer old Don, whereas in the new, Khan looks rehearsed. The point is, as long as you have a heart beat, you have a rhythm, and you can dance." Have beat, will dance! In the meantime, look out for her 10-day workshop after May.