Madhuri Dixit shared this photo. (Image courtesy: Instagram)

New Delhi:

“I still can’t believe Master ji is no more. Losing a friend, philosopher and guide like her is devastating,” wrote Madhuri Dixit for her Master ji, choreographer Saroj Khan, in a heart-rending post on Instagram. On the occasion of Guru Purnima on Sunday, the actress paid a tribute to her “guide and friend” Saroj Khan, who died of a cardiac arrest on July 3 in Mumbai. She was 71. In her post, Madhuri, who worked with Saroj Khan in several films in the past such as Karma, Tezaab, Gulaab Gang and Kalank, shared her memories of the choreographer.

Madhuri Dixit started her post with these anguished words: “I still can’t believe Master ji is no more. Losing a friend, philosopher and guide like her is devastating. It was difficult for me to put down my grief in words. I had spoken to her daughter when she was in the hospital and she told me that Saroj ji would be fine. Two days later, she was gone. The Guru-shishya bond that we shared, the assurance that she would be my mother on the sets, I’ll miss everything. Today, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, I pay my tribute to her. Nobody can make women look so beautiful, desirable and sensuous on-screen like her. She made everything look like poetry in motion. Smitten by her, I had told her, ‘Saroji ji, agar aap shakkar hoti na, I would add you in my cup of tea and drink it.” She would laugh heartily at this. I’ll miss that playful laughter.”

Madhuri also recalled her first meeting with Saroj Khan: “The first time I met her was while shooting for Maine Rab Se from Karma. Saroj ji asked me so many questions, one being, ‘Where did you learn to dance?’ Unfortunately, our sequence was removed from the song. I’ll miss her many questions. Saroj Khan was a game changer in the industry. She was the rebel in the male-dominated profession. There were rough edges to her personality and I feel that’s because life has been pretty uneven to her. I’ll miss that determined and headstrong woman.”

Saroj Khan choreographed the track Ek Do Teen, starring Madhuri, for the film Tezaab and the song became so popular that Filmfare included the Best Choreography Award category to honour the choreographer. “Dancing in front of the camera and dancing on stage are two different things. Saroj ji taught me how to romance the camera when we worked on Ek Do Teen. Such was the song’s popularity that Filmfare had to create the Best Choreography category to honour Saroj ji. I’ll miss her resolve to push the envelope all the time,” wrote Madhuri, adding: “Her nazakat, the aadayein, the elegance of every move, I was besotted. I knew we would do a lot of songs together. So, we decided not to repeat any of the movements.”

Madhuri signed off her post with these words: “She agreed to create hook steps that people will identify with every song. We created so many movements with no knowledge about what they are called. Who knew Tamma Tamma step was dab? I’ll miss inventing hook steps with her. She was close to my family as well and this loss is deeply personal. There’s no one like her and there won’t be another like her. Saroj ji, I’ll miss everything about you. I’ll miss your ‘Perrrfect’!”

Read Madhuri Dixit’s post here:

I still can’t believe master ji is no more. Losing a friend, philosopher & guide like her is devastating. It was difficult for me to put down my grief in words. I had spoken to her daughter when she was in the hospital & she told me that Saroj ji would be fine. Two days later, she was gone.The Guru-shishya bond that we shared, the assurance that she would be my mother on the sets, I’ll miss everything. Today on the occasion of Guru Purnima, I pay my tribute to her.Nobody can make women look so beautiful, desirable & sensuous on-screen like her. She made everything look like poetry in motion. Smitten by her, I had told her, ;Saroji ji, agar aap shakkar hoti na, I would add you in my cup of tea & drink it.” She would laugh heartily at this. I’ll miss that playful laughter.The first time I met her was while shooting for Maine Rab Se from Karma. Saroj ji asked me so many questions, one being ‘Where did you learn to dance?’ Unfortunately, our sequence was removed from the song. I’ll miss her many questions.Saroj Khan was a game changer in the industry. She was the rebel in the male-dominated profession. There were rough edges to her personality & I feel that’s because life has been pretty uneven to her. I’ll miss that determined & headstrong woman.Dancing in front of the camera & dancing on stage are two different things. Saroj ji taught me how to romance the camera when we worked on Ek Do Teen. Such was the song’s popularity that Filmfare had to create the Best Choreography category to honour Saroj ji. I’ll miss her resolve to push the envelope all the time. Her Nazakat, the aadayein, the elegance of every move, I was besotted. I knew we would do a lot of songs together. So we decided not to repeat any of the movements. She agreed to create hook steps that people will identify with every song. We created so many movements with no knowledge about what they are called. Who knew Tamma Tamma step was Dab? I’lll miss inventing hook steps with her.She was close to my family as well & this loss is deeply personal. There’s no one like her & there won’t be another like her. Saroj ji, I’ll miss everything about you. I’ll miss your ‘Perrrfect’!

A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on Jul 5, 2020 at 5:18am PDT

Saroj Khan was admitted to a Mumbai hospital on June 20 after she complained of difficulty in breathing. Hours after her death, Madhuri Dixit mourned her “guru” with heart-wrenching posts. She first shared a tweet that read: “I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan. Will always be grateful for her work in helping me reach my full potential in dance. The world has lost an amazingly talented person. I will miss you. My sincere condolences to the family. #RIPSarojji” and then posted a couple of throwback pictures featuring herself and Saroj Khan on Instagram.

I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan. Will always be grateful for her work in helping me reach my full potential in dance. The world has lost an amazingly talented person. I will miss you My sincere condolences to the family. #RIPSarojji

— Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) July 3, 2020

Saroj Khan rose to popularity after choreographing Sridevi and later Madhuri Dixit for several iconic dance numbers in films like Mr India, Nagina, Chandni, Thaanedaar, Beta, Chaalbaaz, Khalnayak and Devdas.