Madhuri Dixit pays emotional tribute to Saroj Khan on Guru Purnima: ‘I still can’t believe master ji is no more’

The news of veteran choreographer Saroj Khan’s death was ‘devastating’ for actor Madhuri Dixit, who collaborated with her for a number of iconic songs including Ek Do Teen, Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, Tamma Tamma Loge and Dola Re Dola. Madhuri paid an emotional tribute to Saroj on the occasion of Guru Purnima.

Sharing a picture of them hugging, Madhuri wrote, “I still can’t believe master ji is no more. Losing a friend, philosopher & guide like her is devastating. It was difficult for me to put down my grief in words. I had spoken to her daughter when she was in the hospital & she told me that Saroj ji would be fine. Two days later, she was gone.”

“The Guru-shishya bond that we shared, the assurance that she would be my mother on the sets, I’ll miss everything. Today on the occasion of Guru Purnima, I pay my tribute to her,” she added.

Madhuri said that she misses Saroj’s hearty laugh. She revealed that the very first song they shot together was for the 1986 film Karma. Unfortunately, it was not retained in the final cut of the film.

“Nobody can make women look so beautiful, desirable & sensuous on-screen like her. She made everything look like poetry in motion. Smitten by her, I had told her, ‘Saroji ji, agar aap shakkar hoti na, I would add you in my cup of tea & drink it.’ She would laugh heartily at this. I’ll miss that playful laughter,” she said.

“The first time I met her was while shooting for Maine Rab Se from Karma. Saroj ji asked me so many questions, one being ‘Where did you learn to dance?’ Unfortunately, our sequence was removed from the song. I’ll miss her many questions,” she added.

Calling Saroj a ‘game-changer’, Madhuri said that she overcame many trials and tribulations in her personal life, which is why there were ‘rough edges to her personality’. “She was the rebel in the male-dominated profession. There were rough edges to her personality & I feel that’s because life had been pretty uneven to her. I’ll miss that determined & headstrong woman,” the actor wrote.

Madhuri said that she missed creating iconic steps with Saroj. “Her Nazakat, the aadayein, the elegance of every move, I was besotted. I knew we would do a lot of songs together. So we decided not to repeat any of the movements. She agreed to create hook steps that people will identify with every song. We created so many movements with no knowledge about what they are called. Who knew Tamma Tamma step was Dab? I’ll miss inventing hook steps with her,” the actor said.

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For Madhuri, Saroj’s death is a personal loss. “She was close to my family as well & this loss is deeply personal. There’s no one like her & there won’t be another like her. Saroj ji, I’ll miss everything about you. I’ll miss your ‘Perrrfect’!,” she wrote.

Saroj died on Friday at the Guru Nanak Hospital in Mumbai after suffering a cardiac arrest and was laid to rest at a cemetery in the Malad area. In a statement, her family said that the prayer meet has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Thank you for all your messages and for keeping Mummy in your prayers. Given the current COVID-19 situation, there will be no prayer meet. Whenever the situation improves, we will meet and celebrate the life of Saroj Khan,” the statement read.

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