Saroj Khan is undoubtedly one of the most famous choreographers and dancers in Bollywood, and she has had a huge impact on the industry. She was one of the most respected and accomplished choreographers, often referred to as “The Mother of Dance and Choreography in India.” Saroj’s career spanned several decades, and she worked on numerous Bollywood films, contributing significantly to the development of dance in Indian cinema. She passed away in July 2020, during the pandemic. A few years before her death, actor Shah Rukh Khan spoke about his friendship with Saroji and how she frequently guided him when she could.
Sarojji, for those who are unfamiliar, was a dance legend who choreographed over 3,000 songs during her career. She died on July 3, 2020, of a sudden cardiac arrest that occurred on June 24th, after she complained about having breathing issues. Her death was mourned by millions of her fans, and Bollywood celebs flooded social media platforms with tributes and consolation messages.
Coming back to Shah Rukh Khan, in the year 2018, he opened up about the close bond he shared with choreographer Saroj Khan as they worked together in several Bollywood movies. In a throwback interview, Shah Rukh highlighted how he once got slapped by Sarojji for something he said.
SRK revealed that incident, in which he revealed that he was working with the dance master Saroj during his earlier days and that he was working three shifts. Fed up with his three shifts, he told the choreographer that he was tired of all the work. She’d be very protective of Shah Rukh. Reacting to this, she slapped him on the cheek like a mother and told him that he should never say that he has too much work. She explained to him that, in this area of work, there is never too much work.