(Image source from: patrika.com)

Ace choreographer of Indian Film Industry passes away on Friday due to Cardiac arrest at the age of 71.

Saroj Khan who is popularly known as Master Ji passed away at 71. She was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital in Mumbai on June 20 after complaining breathing issues. The Covid-19 test which is mandatory for patients to take was taken and she tested negative.

She was suffering from multiple ailments and died due to a cardiac arrest in the ICU of Guru Nanak Hospital. She was and will be one of the most prominent dance choreographers in the film industry.

She has won three national awards for her choreography and dancing skills. In a career of over 4 decades, Saroj Khan was credited with choreographing over 2,000 songs. She began her career as a child artist at the age of three with the film Nazarana as child Shyama. She soon started mentoring under the famous music director B Sohanlal who was also a film choreographer. Not many people know this but she married her mentor B Sohanlal at the age of just 13 years. When Sohanlal married Saroj Khan he was more than double his age. He was 41 years old with 4 children.

Saroj Khan had her first child with Sohanlal while she was just 14. Sohanlal tied a black thread around her neck while she was studying and she got married.

Saroj Khan was also a background dancer during her mentorship with Sohanlal. Saroj Khan has 3 children namely- Hamid Khan, Hina Khan and Sukanya Khan. Saroj Khan’s birth name was Nirmala Nagpal.

The three time national award winning choreographer has given the industry some iconic dance sequences which we will never forget for years to come. From Sridevi’s Hawa Hawa from Mr. India to Madhuri Dixit’s Dola re from Devdas all those steps are still engraved in the brains of fans of the veteran choreographer. Whether it is Madhuri’s Ek do teen, Aishwarya’s Nimbooda and how can me forget the iconic Chane ke khet me from the film Anjaam. Saroj Khan has given us the most iconic dance sequences.

Saroj Khan climbed the ladder of fame in the late 1980’s when she choreographed Sridevi in her super hitsMain Naagin tu Saprea and also Hawaa Hawaa from Mr. India.

The last film she choreographed for was Karan Johar’s Kalank, where she choreographed Madhuri Dixit on Tabaah Hogaye. Before that she also did a selective few projects for Kangana Ranaut in Manikarnaka and also Tanu Weds Mau returns. Her recent major assignment was definitely directing Madhuri in Kalank.

Her last post on Instagram was in the memory of Sushant Singh Rajput who passed away on 14th June 2020. Tributes and condolences poured in from Bollywood celebrities after the demise of their favourite Master Ji.

Madhuri Dixit, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmuk, Nimrit Kaur are just a few among the others who shared their heartfelt condolences and a huge loss to film industry. Madhuri Dixit who always considered Saroj Khan her idol says that she is ‘devastated’ after hearing the news of her beloved Master Ji. Madhuri Dixit recently gave a tribute to Saroj Khan in an award functions by dancing on all her songs.

Kareena Kapoor Khan said that it was Saroj Ji who taught her to love dance and music rather than just doing it.

By Deepika Agarwal