Saroj Khan went to shoot for ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ soon after burying her 5-year-old

The late-choreographer, Saroj Khan, became the face of ‘bollywood dance’ in the 80s. In an old interview given to brut she opened up about getting her deserving fame, late in her career how thankless the industry people really are. 

She recalled, “Nobody has helped me, except for Subhash Ghai. I was in the film industry. People knew me but I didn’t earn that name that I should have. Ghai called me himself for his film Hero. From there I started getting a name, people started recognizing me as a choreographer. Then I got ‘Ek Do Teen’ and there was no looking back.”

Comparing the younger lot with the yesteryear actors, she said, “I started when Madhubala was on the top. I’ve seen all of them, Dilip Saheb, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmender, Jeetender. They were all humans. Nowadays there’s no human as such , there are only machine including the ladies.”

“Noone remembers who you are, how you are connected with them. If you are a help to someone  then it is fine, if not then nobody is even going to lift a finger to help you.”

The late veteran also had an advice for all who want to make it in the industry and said the only thing that can take you higher here is your dedication for the art. “If you believe in anything apart from god it’s your livelihood, you art. It is a must that if you don’t put your heart in art then nothing is going to work.”

Adding on to the dedication, she recalled the time when she left for her work despite a huge personal tragedy. “My daughter died she was eight months and five days old. Afternoon prayers were in her destiny. After burying her, at 5 I had my train to shoot for ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ and the song was ‘Dum Maaro Dum’.”