Legendary choreographer Saroj Khan is fondly remembered for the timeless songs she helped bring to life through her masterful choreography. Among the many iconic tracks she’s associated with, one standout is “Ankhiyan Milaoon Kabhi” from the 1995 film Raja, directed by Indra Kumar. The song remains a favourite at weddings and festive functions even today. However, not many know that Saroj initially disliked the song when she first heard it.
In a recent interview on The Ashok Pandit Show, lyricist Sameer, who penned the song, revealed that the choreographer had a strong reaction upon hearing the track at the music studio. He recalled, “Gana record ho raha tha Sunny Sound mein, Saroj ji aaye gana sunne, aur unhone bola ki Nadeem kya banaya hai tumne, ek hi instrument chal raha hai poore time, main iss mein kya shoot karungi (The song was being recorded at Sunny Sound. Saroj ji came to listen to it and said, ‘Nadeem, what have you made? It’s just one instrument playing throughout. What am I supposed to shoot for this?’)”
At the time, composer Nadeem of the iconic duo Nadeem-Shravan, was at the peak of his career. Sameer continued, “Aur Nadeem toh uss waqt shabab par tha toh uss ne bola ki Saroj ji aapka kaam kya hai – gana shoot karna, dance karna… gana select kabse karne lagi aap? Nadeem ne bola ki Saroj ji gana toh yahi rahega chahe aap rahengi ya hum rahenge, magar gana yahi rahega (And Nadeem, who was at the height of his success, responded, ‘Saroj ji, your job is to choreograph and shoot the song… since when did you start selecting songs? This song will remain, whether you or I are here or not, but the song will stay as it is.’)”
‘Who does he think he is?’
Madhuri Dixit and Saroj Khan. (Express archive photo)
The confrontation didn’t end there. Sameer added, “Ye sunne ke baad Saroj ji neeche utari gane dete huye Nadeem ko ki ye samajhta kya hai aapne aap ko. Aur unhone bola ki chal tu bhej gana tujhe batati hoon (After hearing that, Saroj ji stormed downstairs, cursing Nadeem, saying, ‘Who does he think he is?’ And she said, ‘Fine, send the song to me – I’ll show you what I can do.’)”
Eventually, Saroj Khan turned the very track she initially rejected into a visual masterpiece. Sameer recounted, “Gana gaya bhaiya poora mix hokar aur phir Madhuri aayi, Sanjay Kapoor aaya, aur aisa shoot kiya unhone ki kya bataun (Once the song was fully mixed, Madhuri came, Sanjay Kapoor came, and the way they shot it – what can I even say, it was phenomenal).”
Known as a tough taskmaster in the industry, Saroj Khan was famously precise about her vision. Her high standards and intensity have reportedly left many actors intimidated, including legendary performers like Rekha.
