<p><strong>Sajorji was magic: Juhi Chawla</strong></p>.<p>I have many memories of working with Sarojji, from very early on in my career to being judges on the dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’. She was sheer magic.</p>.<p>Sarojji was short and plump, not someone with a traditionally good body for dance, but when she danced, everyone else faded into the background.</p>.<p>Her sensibilities in every department were top notch. I can’t remember if it was during the making of ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ or after. I had gone to meet Yashji for a guest appearance in ‘Lagi Aaj Sawan’ song for ‘Chandni’. That’s when I first met her.</p>.<p>I was very nervous. It was a rain scene, shot in Chandivali Studio. I must have had a fortunate day because every second or third take was approved. My staff later told me that getting an okay from her was not easy.</p>.<p>Years later, I was shooting for ‘Karobaar: The Business of Love’ with Anil Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor in South Africa. The shoot was for a seductive song and I was too nervous. I started crying and told director Rakesh Roshan that I will do the song only if she directs it. In the 90s, she was the busiest choreographer, but she came to Cape Town just to help me out.</p>.<p>I loved working with her, but working with her made me both excited and nervous. It would take me a day or two to get into the zone. Most of my hit songs were with Tarun master and Chinni Prakash but their styles are different. By the time I got used to her, the song will be over. And the next time I meet her would be six months later. I would have to start from scratch again.</p>.<p>The artistes who totally consumed her were Sridevi and Madhuri. I loved listening to Sarojji’s anecdotes about Sridevi, and how she was shy but lit up the set.</p>.<p>I was just looking through the songs I’ve worked with her, and realised that everyone in from ‘Chandini’ is no more and I can’t help but wonder if they are up there making a movie up without me!</p>.<p>She had magic. I can’t explain it, but she had it.</p>.<p><strong>We worked together till my last film: Subhash Ghai</strong></p>.<p>I remember the day when I was introduced to her by Aruna Irani. I asked her to do the climax song of my film ‘Vidhaata’ and told her if she proves to be as great a choreographer as Aruna claimed, I shall offer her my next full film under Mukta Arts.</p>.<p>And she really impressed me. She was probably the first woman dance director I had known in 1982.</p>.<p>Later on, I insisted that Filmfare institute an award for choreographers too. And when they did, she won the very first prize. Neither of us have looked back since. We did all our films together, until my last film ‘Kaanchi’ in 2015.</p>
<p><strong>Sajorji was magic: Juhi Chawla</strong></p>.<p>I have many memories of working with Sarojji, from very early on in my career to being judges on the dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’. She was sheer magic.</p>.<p>Sarojji was short and plump, not someone with a traditionally good body for dance, but when she danced, everyone else faded into the background.</p>.<p>Her sensibilities in every department were top notch. I can’t remember if it was during the making of ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ or after. I had gone to meet Yashji for a guest appearance in ‘Lagi Aaj Sawan’ song for ‘Chandni’. That’s when I first met her.</p>.<p>I was very nervous. It was a rain scene, shot in Chandivali Studio. I must have had a fortunate day because every second or third take was approved. My staff later told me that getting an okay from her was not easy.</p>.<p>Years later, I was shooting for ‘Karobaar: The Business of Love’ with Anil Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor in South Africa. The shoot was for a seductive song and I was too nervous. I started crying and told director Rakesh Roshan that I will do the song only if she directs it. In the 90s, she was the busiest choreographer, but she came to Cape Town just to help me out.</p>.<p>I loved working with her, but working with her made me both excited and nervous. It would take me a day or two to get into the zone. Most of my hit songs were with Tarun master and Chinni Prakash but their styles are different. By the time I got used to her, the song will be over. And the next time I meet her would be six months later. I would have to start from scratch again.</p>.<p>The artistes who totally consumed her were Sridevi and Madhuri. I loved listening to Sarojji’s anecdotes about Sridevi, and how she was shy but lit up the set.</p>.<p>I was just looking through the songs I’ve worked with her, and realised that everyone in from ‘Chandini’ is no more and I can’t help but wonder if they are up there making a movie up without me!</p>.<p>She had magic. I can’t explain it, but she had it.</p>.<p><strong>We worked together till my last film: Subhash Ghai</strong></p>.<p>I remember the day when I was introduced to her by Aruna Irani. I asked her to do the climax song of my film ‘Vidhaata’ and told her if she proves to be as great a choreographer as Aruna claimed, I shall offer her my next full film under Mukta Arts.</p>.<p>And she really impressed me. She was probably the first woman dance director I had known in 1982.</p>.<p>Later on, I insisted that Filmfare institute an award for choreographers too. And when they did, she won the very first prize. Neither of us have looked back since. We did all our films together, until my last film ‘Kaanchi’ in 2015.</p>
