How Madhubala turned warrior Deepika into a lover

Mirror was the first to report (April 11) that Deepika Padukone was training with Birju Maharaj for a solo number for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romance, Bajirao Mastani. Titled Mohe rang do lal, the song is an adaptation of one of the Kathak maestro's own performances set to an Awadhi-Brijwasi thumri, Balma re chunaria maiko lal.

The song was to be picturised over eight days but it took 10 days more. They wrapped it up in the last week of June. "Mastani is a warrior and a lover and Sanjay wanted a fiery traditional Kathak recital with her dressed from head to toe in red," the 77-year-old Padma Vibhushan informs.

After two months of training, Deepika had mastered the iconic peacock movements distinctive to the Hindustani classical dance form. But the performance also demanded a range of emotions, as she oscillates between a warrior and a lover and she needed a role model to focus on. Birju Maharaj found her one in the late Madhubala whom he had choreographed in a song for Jhumroo, Bhola bhola mann mera kahin re sajan. The 1961 film had Kishore Kumar opposite Madhubala.

"I told Deepika to think of Ranveer (Singh), who is her on screen lover, as her Kishore and like Madhubala had danced to his tunes in Jhumroo, she should dance the same way for her Bajirao," he reminisces, admitting he kept Madhubala's moves in mind.

"Deepika aced it. The song looks like a Raja Ravi Varma painting brought to life."

Deepika may not be Madhubala, but she's definitely Birju Maharaj's new favourite. "She's tall and beautiful, I will choreograph her in any song if she wants me to. She takes my scolding in the right spirit," he smiles.