Showing posts with label choreographer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label choreographer. Show all posts

Sunday 13 June 2021

Prem Dhawan - A Multi-Talented Personality of Bollywood

 


Most of us remember him as a lyricist but he was a multi-talented personality. He started his film career as an assistant music director to Khurshid Anwar in Aaj Aur Kal(1947). He got his first film Ziddi(1948) as a lyricist with a hit song .'Chanda Re, Ja Re Ja Re' sung by Lata Mangeshkar and composed by Khemchand Prakash. Since then he wrote many memorable songs like "Seene Mein Sulagte Hain Armaan" from Tarana(1951) or "Zindagi Khawab Hai" from Jagte Raho(1956)'

Manoj Kumar had high regard for his talent, he offered him, Shaheed(1965) to give its music as well as write songs. He wrote the immortal song ' Rang De Basanti Chola'. Apart from his career as a lyricist and composer, acted in two films, Lajawab (1950) and Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959). He also worked as a choreographer for seven films Arzoo (1950) was the first film as a choreographer, his choreographed song 'Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri' and 'Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawano Ka' from Naya Daur (1957) are immortal.

He also appeared in the song 'Ari O Mohe Chhed Gaya Re from the 1949 film Singaar as a dancer with Cuckoo. He also choreographed the popular song ' Hariyala Sawan Dhol Bajata Aaya' from 'Do Bigha Zameen(1953)'

He was born on 13th June 1923, in Ambala in Hariyana District. His father was Jail superintendent and because of his job, Prem Dhawan got to travel a lot in undivided India with his family, where he got an opportunity to study various cultures and be a part of it. He completed his college education in Lahore where Sahir & Indrakumar Gujral were his best friends.

Prem Dhawan was an underrated music director and lyricist. He composed several films. His songs were full of typical Punjabi flavor. He could not shine as a successful composer, but his few films need a mention like, Shaeed (1965), Pavitra Papi (1970), Raat Ke Aandhere Mein (1987) etc.

He got the National Award for Best Lyrics for the Punjabi film Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar (1970). He died on 7 May 2001, at the age of 78, following a cardiac arrest.

Song of Ziddi 1948


Prem Dhawan as a Dancer
Song of Singaar1949

Song of Tarana 1951

Song of Hum Hindustani 1960

Song of Kaabuliwala 1961

Song of  Shaheed 1965

Song of  Ek Phool Do Mali (1969)

Song of Pavitra Paapi 1970

Song of Purab Aur Paschim (1970)




















Friday 3 July 2020

Saroj Khan- The Mother of Bollywood Choreography


Saroj Khan (22 November 1948 - July 3, 2020),  started her career as a child artist at the age of three with the film Nazarana as child Shyama. She worked as a background group dancer in many dance songs in the late 50s.
She got her break as an independent choreographer, with Geeta Mera Naam (1974).before that she was assistant to dance director  B. Sohanlal.  Her first breakthrough came with Subhash Ghai's Hero (1983), but it was Sridevi's Nagin dance in Nagina (1986) where she was noticed for her talent, followed up by Mr. India. Next, she worked with Madhuri Dixit in 'Ek Do Teen' number, Tezaab (1989), and later in Khalnayak, where she choreographed the Choli Ke Peeche' number.
Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were her favs. dancers in Bollywood. Sridevi danced to her steps in Mr. India's Hawa Hawai and Chandini's 'Mere Hathon Mein'.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). 
With a career span of over forty years, she choreographed more than 2000 songs Many of her choreographed songs have been iconic. Saroj Khan was the recipient of the most National Film Awards for Best Choreography with three wins. She was the first recipient of the filmfare Best Choreography Award. Filmfare instituted this award after watching the excellent choreography and audience response to Khan's song "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab. Saroj Khan went on to have a hat-trick at the Filmfare awards winning consistently for 3 years from 1989 to 1991. She also holds the record for winning the most Filmfare Best Choreographer Awards, winning 8 times. 
She was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital at Bandra, Mumbai on June 17, 2020. She was admitted with breathing complaints, and died of cardiac arrest at 1:52 am early on Friday, July 3, 2020.  
Some of her Iconic Choreography
Song of Hero (1983)


Song of Nagina (1986)


Song of Mr India (1987)


Song of Tezaab (1988)


Song of Chandni (1989)


Song of Beta (1992)


Song of Khalnayak (1994)


Song of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam 2000


Song of Devdas  2003


Song of Guru   2008