‘My first genuine teacher’: Shah Rukh Khan remembers Saroj Khan

Ace choreographer Saroj Khan passed away on Friday (July 3), leaving her near and dear ones heartbroken. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan condoled Master Jee’s death and thanked her for being his ‘first genuine teacher’. In his Twitter post, he said that she was a ‘caring’ and ‘loving’ indiviual , who took care of him during his initial years in the industry.

“My first genuine teacher in the film industry. She taught me for hours how to do the ‘dip’ for film dancing. One of the most caring, loving & inspiring persona i have ever met. Will miss you Sarojji. May Allah bless her soul. Thank u for looking after me,” tweeted ‘King Khan’.

Also Read: Remembering Saroj Khan: A choreographer par excellence

Saroj who made debut as a child artiste with Nazarana, appeared as a background dancer in several movies made in the 1950s. She made her debut as a choreographer with Geeta Mera Naam (1974), beginning a new chapter in life. It was, however, the Boney Kapoor-backed Mr India (1987) that made her a household name. The Anil Kapoor-Sridevi starrer featured the catchy Hawa Hawai number, which became an instant hit. She reunited with the ‘Last Empress’ for movies like Chandini and Nagina, consolidating her position in the industry.

The N Chandra-directed Tezaab proved to be a landmark release for Saroj. It featured the evergreen Ek Do Teen track song, which helped Madhuri Dixit become the queen of several hearts. The Dhak Dhak Karne Laga number from Beta too became popular, establishing ‘Mads’ and Saroj as a winning combination.

The two later joined hands for Gulab Gang (2014) much to the delight of several fans. The film, however, did not live up to expectations.

Saroj won the National award on three occasions, cementing her legacy.

Coming back to SRK, he was last seen in Zero (2018) that proved to be a commercial failure. The film failed to click with fans and critics alike, which resulted in its downfall. ‘Raj’ is expected to announce his next big project pretty soon.