She always had a unique story to tell: Vaibhavi Merchant remembers Saroj Khan
Ace choreographer Saroj Khan passed away on Friday, July 3, 2020. Her demise shocked several people in the industry. The legendary choreographer’s journey inspired a generation of choreographers to step in the industry and continue the dance legacy that she created. Now, choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant remembered Saroj Khan in a heartfelt Instagram post.
Vaibhavi Merchant mentioned that Saroj Khan inspired her primarily to become a choreographer. She called the late choreographer “an institute” and called her a force to be reckoned with. In the interview, Vaibhavi Merchant also said that Saroj ji proved that female choreographers are better than their male counterparts while also creating a space for new choreographers to map out their journey in the industry. Vaibhavi also revealed that she experienced the magic of Saroj Khan choreography when she choreographed Madhuri Dixit for a song in the movie Kalank and also called the Madhuri-Saroj Ji duo one of her favourites. While concluding, Vaibhavi called Saroj Ji’s body of work her “bible”.
"You made me fall in love with dance. Your perseverance,hardship,strife & struggle both in life & profession transcends beyond the legacy you have left behind. I am sharing a moment from our days on Jhalak where I only chewed her brains wanting to know how was it working with the Masters & Legends back in the days. She always had a unique story to tell. I realized then how tough it was for you to break the stereotype & create your own style," she added.
Meanwhile, director and choreographer Farah Khan in an interview said that Saroj Khan was an inspiration to many including her. She revealed that when she entered the industry as a choreographer she did not face any gender discrimination because Saroj Khan paved a way for other choreographers since she was the reigning queen and formidable at her job.
Saroj Khan died on July 3 after suffering a cardiac arrest. She passed away at around 2:30 am at Guru Nanak hospital in Mumbai.
