Harsh reality of actor-choreographer dynamics in Bollywood

Bollywood

dance has always been the ultimate vibe, glittering outfits, killer beats, and iconic moves that live rent-free in our heads. Whether it’s Helen’s sultry sway in ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’, Sridevi ruling the screen in ‘Hawa Hawai’, or Madhuri Dixit’s flawless ‘Ek Do Teen’ expressions, these moments didn’t just make history, they broke the internet before the internet even existed.
But behind the glittering smiles, sparkle, and sass was pure sweat, stress, and sometimes… full-on meltdowns. The golden era of Bollywood may have given us some of the most iconic dance numbers, but the reality for many actors was far from glamorous. From grueling rehearsals to strict choreographers, the path to picture-perfect performances was paved with sweat, struggle, and sore feet.
Let’s take a step back in time and explore what really went on behind the scenes, through the words of some of Bollywood’s most legendary performers.
Helen’s gruelling rehearsals

If there’s one name synonymous with cabaret in Hindi cinema, it’s Helen. Her graceful moves in songs like ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’ and ‘Yeh Mera Dil’ lit up the screen. But what went into perfecting those steps?
In a chat with Arbaaz Khan on Bollywood Bubble, the iconic dancer revealed the sheer effort behind her performances. “Then the choreographer, we had P. L. Raj, we had Robert Master, we had all the nice masters, we used to call them Masterji. Now they're known as choreographers. We had rehearsals, proper, 8 days sometimes, 10 days sometimes. Because it used to be for an hour or two, like supposing I'm shooting. After shooting, say 6.30, packed up, by the time you reach 7 o'clock, so 7 to 8 I would rehearse. And like that I would rehearse 4-5 times. And the shooting too used to take many days about 10-12 days.”
Her dedication was unwavering, even when the going got tough. She added, “PL Raj. Even if I think the shot was good, he will say once more. And I used to get so bugged with him. But I've done it alright. ‘See, I'm doing it’. Once more, he said. Sometimes I found him not right but I had to do it because you have to respect your master.”
Just think, those fluid moves in ‘Aa Jaane Jaan’ didn’t happen overnight. They were the result of rehearsing through exhaustion, late nights and non-stop takes.

When even big stars couldn’t keep up: Aruna Irani and Amitabh Bachchan
It’s hard to imagine someone like Amitabh Bachchan being uncomfortable on the dance floor. But back in the day, even he needed some serious coaching. Veteran actress Aruna Irani recalled working on a romantic duet with Big B and how neither of them were confident dancers.
Speaking to ETimes, she said, “Back then, neither I nor my hero Amit ji were good dancers. But our choreographer PL Raj was a tough task-master and he made us diligently slog and rehearse. All that effort resulted in the final outcome, which was so impactful.”
Films like ‘Bombay to Goa’ and ‘Love Story’ featured catchy songs with plenty of steps, but it was the off-screen sweat and grind that made the on-screen sparkle possible.

Humiliation on set: Shabana Azmi’s emotional breakdown
Known for her powerhouse acting in films like ‘Arth’ and ‘Mandi’, Shabana Azmi isn’t someone you’d imagine being broken down on a film set. But even she wasn’t spared the harsh realities of Bollywood choreography.
In a throwback interview with Adi Pocha [via Bollywood Shaadis], Shabana opened up about her painful experience while shooting ‘Parvarish’ with choreographer Kamal. “I cannot dance to save my life. I have two left feet. I had asked Kamal Master, he was choreographer. I said, ‘Please give me rehearsals.’ He said rehearsal is not needed. You just have to clap. It was so frightening because I was with Neetu Singh.”
She went on, “Even before I could figure out where I have to put my right foot and left foot, Neetu would have done two rehearsals and sat over there.”
The final straw came when Kamal humiliated her in front of junior artists. “I told Kamal Ji it was very complicated and can we change it a little bit. He said, ‘Okay, lights off. Now Shabana Ji is now going to teach Kamal dance master what steps to do’. It was so humiliating and bad that I just ran off the set.”
Sonali Bendre: Saroj Khan was ready to kill me..
When Sonali Bendre starred in ‘English Babu Desi Mem’, she played a bar dancer, but in reality, she had no formal dance training. That led to some fiery moments with none other than Saroj Khan.
“I had done ‘English Babu Desi Mem’ where Saroj Khan was ready to kill me because I couldn’t dance, and I was playing a bar dancer. Can you imagine what she was going through? I was struggling. Every hour I wasn’t working, I was trying to learn how to dance… Ahmed (Khan) was Saroj ji’s assistant at that time… he would… take me to a rehearsal hall and he would teach me,” Sonali shared in an old interview with Mid-Day. She recalled the stress vividly: “It is ironical. I am not a trained dancer. I am not a trained actor. I have never done theatre. So songs, shooting for a song was a nightmare for me. I went through sleepless nights. I would get acidity because of the stress I was going through. I was always scared of songs…”
Despite her fears, her dance numbers in films like ‘Duplicate’ and ‘Sarfarosh’ remain memorable — proving how much effort went into making her look effortless.
Mandira Bedi’s DDLJ dance horror
Mandira Bedi made her big Bollywood debut with none other than the cult classic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’. But shooting the song ‘Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna’ with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol turned into a nightmare for her.
On Kareena Kapoor’s show ‘What Women Want’, she shared, “Because unlike you, how graceful and beautiful you are when it comes to songs… I started with a song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’ and I’ll tell you that if I have nightmares, as a grown woman, it is about two things — choreographed dance and maths exams, that’s it. They both give me cold sweat.”
The legendary Saroj Khan was at the helm again. “She told me, ‘You are like Sunny Deol. He shakes his shoulders. You shake your shoulders really well but as a woman and as a female actress you need to learn how to shake your hips,’ which I could not do,” Mandira recalled.
Even though she was part of one of the most loved songs in Bollywood history, her experience behind the scenes was filled with fear and anxiety.

Saroj Khan’s tough love and survival in a male world
Choreographer Saroj Khan, the name behind legendary songs like ‘Ek Do Teen’, ‘Choli Ke Peeche’, and ‘Dola Re Dola’, wasn’t just known for her creativity but also her strict style. But why was she so tough?
Terence Lewis had once offered insight. Speaking with Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiya on their podcast, he said, “People who questioned, ‘Why does she abuse or behave so rudely’, they need to know it is extremely difficult for women to work in this industry where it is dominated with men. They have to be rough and strong. The ruthlessness of the industry kills the women in them. They have to turn into men to survive in the industry.”
He added, “I don’t know if you have noticed, the male choreographers are comparatively calmer than the female choreographers. They are more abusive than the men… And I will tell you why, it is because they have to prove it time and again that ‘Hey, don’t take me lightly, I will whack you otherwise’.” It’s this grit that helped her survive and thrive, choreographing hits with actresses like Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi.
Madhuri Dixit and Saroj Khan’s artistic pact
Unlike many who feared Saroj Khan, Madhuri Dixit found a deep creative partnership with her. Together they crafted unforgettable numbers like ‘Dhak Dhak Karne Laga’, ‘Chane Ke Khet Mein’, and ‘Maar Daala’.
In a chat with ETimes, Madhuri said, “Every song I did with Saroj ji, we used to sit together and talk. I’d say, ‘You know, Saroj ji…’ because I loved her deeply, and I knew I’d be working with her a lot. So one day, we sat down and I said, ‘Every song should be unique.’”
“We made a pact that we would never repeat the steps from one song in another. Yes, and every hook would be different.”
She added with a laugh, “Then one day, she got fed up with me because I kept pointing out, ‘We’ve used this movement before.’ She asked, ‘Why do you have an elephant’s memory?’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s our pact—now you’ve got to stick to it.’ Thanks to that pact, every Madhuri-Saroj collaboration stood out — from the sizzling ‘Ek Do Teen’ to the powerful ‘Kahe Ched Mohe’.