When several actresses refused to work with Madhuri Dixit in ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, Karisma Kapoor stepped up and delivered a memorable performance. However, she later fell out with choreographer Saroj Khan after an on-set accident. Despite the fallout, both Karisma and Kareena Kapoor Khan paid tribute to Saroj Khan after her passing in 2020.
When Yash Chopra was putting together the cast of ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, many leading actresses of that time turned down the opportunity to share screen space with Madhuri Dixit, widely regarded as one of Bollywood’s greatest dancers. Karisma Kapoor, however, stepped up without a second thought and ended up giving one of the finest performances of her career. What makes it all the more interesting is that the same actress later reportedly fell out with Saroj Khan, the legendary choreographer who was also Madhuri’s dance guru, following a dispute on set, after which the two never collaborated again.
Saroj Khan’s dancer Rubina Khan recalls the on-set accident involving Karisma Kapoor
Dancer Rubina Khan, who had worked closely with Saroj Khan, spoke to Bollywood Thikana and shared some interesting stories about the late choreographer. One of the stories she recalled was about an accident that took place on set during a shoot with Karisma Kapoor. She said, “One time, Karisma Kapoor was shooting a song with Saroj Khan. In that song, there was a sequence where the actors had to run and stop at a particular spot. The set had a tree, and according to the sequence, some boys and girls were hiding on it. During the shot, one of the branches broke and a boy who was hiding there accidentally fell on Karisma Kapoor. She got hurt.”“Karisma became extremely angry. She started yelling and abusing him. She called him an idiot. This behaviour upset Saroj Khan because she was always very protective of her team. Saroj ji immediately intervened and told Karisma that she could not behave like that. The boy had not done it intentionally, and he had apologised too. But Karisma refused to continue shooting and walked out of the set, which was understandable. After that, Saroj Khan never worked with Karisma Kapoor again,” she said.
Karisma Kapoor paid an emotional tribute to Saroj Khan after her passing
Though Saroj Khan never addressed the alleged fallout publicly, Karisma Kapoor made sure to honor her memory when the legendary choreographer passed away in 2020. The actress took to social media and posted a black and white photo of the two together, writing, “Saroj Ji, cannot forget the endless hours learning dance and expression from you at Satyam Hall. Your teachings took me a long way. RIP.” She further accompanied the post with the hashtags “Master”, “Teacher” and “Dance Guru.”
Kareena Kapoor Khan also remembered Saroj Khan and her unique teaching style
Kareena Kapoor Khan also took a moment to remember Saroj and the special bond they shared. The actress looked back on the choreographer’s one-of-a-kind teaching style and the lessons that stayed with her long after. Kareena wrote, “Master ji always told me… ‘Pair nahin chala sakti toh kam se kam face toh chala’ (If you can’t move your feet, at least move your face). That’s what she taught me — to enjoy dancing, smile and smile through the eyes. There can never be another. Dance and expression can never be the same for us actors and for everyone who loved her. Love you Master ji. Till we dance again.” Go to Source
