Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Saroj Khan

Role / Field:

Pioneering Indian dance choreographer, renowned for mujra and Bollywood's first woman.

Born:

1948-11-22

Died:

2020-07-03

Century / Era:

1948s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Saroj Khan (born Saroj Kishanchand Sadhu Singh Nagpal; 22 November 1948 – 3 July 2020) was an Indian dance choreographer in Hindi cinema. She was best known for the dance form mujra and the first woman choreographer in Bollywood. With a career spanning over forty years, she choreographed over 3000 songs and received several accolades, including four National Film Awards and record eight Filmfare Awards for Best Choreography. She was born Nirmala Nagpal.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Her parents, Kishanchand Sadhu Singh and Noni Singh, migrated to India after partition of India. She started her career as a child artist at the age of three with the film Nazarana as baby Shyama, and was a background dancer in the late 1950s. She learnt dance while working under film choreographer B. Sohanlal, whom she married at the age of 13 while he was 43 years and was already married with 4 children which she did not know at the time of marriage. After having three children (including one that died as an infant), the couple separated; after their separation, she married businessman Sardar Roshan Khan in 1975 and changed her name after converting to Islam.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The couple have one child together: a daughter, Sukaina...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• November 22 (11-22) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 22
• 2020 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2020
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Frequently Asked Questions about Saroj Khan