Filmmaker KR Reddy’s 1990 multi-starrer Sheshnaag was billed as a fantasy movie, however the issues the crew confronted within the mounting of its dance observe was rooted in actuality: A cinema icon, a celebrated choreographer and rising pressure between them.
Late choreographer Saroj Khan was entrusted with the duty of designing a dance sequence for Rekha within the movie, which additionally starred Jeetendra, Madhavi and Rishi Kapoor. The unit was racing in opposition to the time to movie the quantity however Rekha, in line with Khan, was not giving them dates.
“The producer had given us very little time, we had three days of rehearsals. My group and I worked round the clock to compose (its choreography) and then requested the producer to send Rekha ji as it was a difficult dance. But she didn’t come. I think either she was not well or had some shoots, as far as I know, she had shoots,” Saroj Khan had stated in an interview to Lehren.
When the shoot day arrived, Rekha was current. But Khan was in for a shock when the star requested to cancel the shoot as she was below the climate. Sensing a sample, Saroj Khan confronted her to inform her the reality. “The day she got here, she was simply sporting make-up, not her costume. She was sitting in her automotive and I went to satisfy her.
“She asked to cancel the shoot citing her ill health. I told her, ‘Rekha ji, I think you are allergic to me. I call you for rehearsals, you don’t come. You come for shoot, but say that you are not well. You can talk to the producer and change the dance masters, tell them that you don’t want to work with me. Because kuch toh gadbad hai.’”
Saroj Khan recalled that after her assertion, Rekha was in tears. “Suddenly she turned her face and when she looked back, there were tears in her eyes. I told her that I didn’t say anything wrong to her, but felt that she should shoot today. She said, ‘I will definitely shoot today’ and went to get ready.”
Shortly after, Khan stated Rekha’s secretary requested her if she had stated something to the actor “because she was crying away.” The choreographer met Rekha once more, when she instructed her, ‘I respect you a lot but you told me that I don’t love your work.’
“To which I corrected her and said, I just felt like that because everyone has got their own favourites. Govinda calls Chinni Prakash because he likes him, his style suits him. If Dimple Kapadia calls Chinni Prakash, I should not mind it, just because she is my student does not mean she has to call me.”
Similarly, Khan continued, that she groups up with Sridevi routinely because the star likes him, so if Rekha was extra snug with another person, she ought to work with them, however not on the expense of shoot delays. Khan stated Rekha heard every part and instructed that wasn’t the case however “I will do this song and show you how I can dance.”
“In that anger and spirit, the dance came out beautifully. She danced very well and did all all the movements, without changing anything. May be it was the tension between us, but she did the best,” the choreographer added.
However, the stress was ultimately resolved and Rekha and Saroj Khan had been on amicable phrases later. At an awards present in 2019, Rekha kneeled in entrance of the choreographer as she noticed her sitting along with her household. The actor additionally met all her members of the family earlier than she went to her seat on the do.
Saroj Khan, one of the celebrated choreographers of the Hindi movie trade, died in 2020 aged 71. She was recognized for iconic dance numbers that includes Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
