Saroj Khan

Indian dancer and choreographer (1948–2020)

Saroj Khan (born Nirmala Nagpal; 22 November 1948 – 3 July 2020) was an Indian dance choreographer in Hindi cinema. She was born in Bombay State (present day Maharashtra), India. She was best known for the dance form mujra and the first woman choreographer in Bollywood. With a career spanning over forty years, she choreographed more than 3000 songs. She died on 3 July 2020 of a sudden cardiac arrest.

She was born Nirmala Nagpal. Her parents, Kishanchand Sadhu Singh and Noni Singh, migrated to India after partition of India. She started her career as a child artist at the age of three with the film Nazarana as baby Shyama, and was a background dancer in the late 1950s. She learnt dance while working under film choreographer B. Sohanlal, who she married at the age of 13 while he was 43 years and was already married with 4 children which she did not know at the time of marriage. After having three children (including one that died as an infant), the couple separated; after their separation, she married businessman Sardar Roshan Khan in 1975 and changed her name after converting to Islam. The couple have one child together: a daughter, Sukaina Khan, who is known to run a dance institute in Dubai. Later, she moved to choreography, first as an assistant choreographer and later getting her break as an independent choreographer, with actress Sadhana'S Geeta Mera Naam (1974). However, she had to wait many years to receive acclaim, which came with her work with Sridevi; their songs together such as Hawa Hawai in Mr India (1987), Main Teri Dushman, Dushman Tu Mera in Nagina (1986) and Mere Haathon Mein in Chandni (1989), and later her collaborations with Madhuri Dixit, starting with the hit "Ek Do Teen" in Tezaab (1988), Tamma Tamma Loge in Thanedaar (1990) and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga in Beta (1992) are hailed as iconic Bollywood dance numbers. Thereafter, she went on to become one of the most successful Bollywood choreographers. In 2014, Khan worked with Madhuri Dixit again in Gulaab Gang. She was on the advisory board of Rishihood University.

Saroj Khan appeared on a reality dance show as a member of the jury in the first season of Nach Baliye, which aired on STAR One along with two other judges. She also appeared in the second season of the same show. She has recently been a judge for the show Ustaadon Ka Ustaad, which is aired on Sony Entertainment Television (India). She appeared on the 2008 show Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan, which was aired on NDTV Imagine. She choreographed for this show. She appeared on Sony's Boogie Woogie from December 2008 as one of the judges, along with Javed Jaffrey, Naved Jaffrey and Ravi Behl. She was a judge on the third season of a popular show – Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, which began on 27 February 2009 and was aired on Sony Entertainment Television (India) alongside former Nach Baliye judge Vaibhavi Merchant and actress Juhi Chawla. She also judged the dance reality show Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan. In 2012, The Saroj Khan Story, a documentary produced by PSBT and Films Division of India and directed by Nidhi Tuli was released. She appeared in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah as a judge in a dance competition. She won three National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards, the most recognition of any choreographer.

In April 2018, Khan made statements defending the practice of casting couch, stating that the film industry provides people employment and "doesn't rape and abandon" them. Following an online backlash, she apologised for her comments.