When Rekha cried as Saroj Khan said actor was ‘allergic’ to her: Something’s wrong

Choreographer Saroj Khan once spoke about how her words made veteran actor Rekha cry. In an old interview, Saroj said that for a song for Sheshnaag, she had requested the producer of the film to send Rekha as it was a ‘difficult dance’. However, Saroj recalled that the actor didn’t turn up as she had ‘shoots’. When Rekha came for the shoot a few days later, Saroj recalled the actor sitting outside in her car. When Saroj approached Rekha she asked her to cancel the shoot as she was unwell. (Also Read | When Rekha said she never wanted to be an actor: ‘Mujhe toh maar maar ke banaya’)

Sheshnaag (1990) was a fantasy film, produced by Syed Ayub, Deepak Adhiya and Nalini Shankar under the AA Films banner and directed by KR Reddy. Apart from Rekha, it also starred Jeetendra, Rishi Kapoor, Madhavi, and Mandakini. The music was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

In an interview ahead of the film’s release in 1990, Saroj Khan spoke about what she then told Rekha, “I told her, ‘Rekha ji, I think you are allergic to me. I call you for rehearsals, you don’t come. You come for shoot but say that you are not well. You can talk to the producer and change the dance masters, tell them that you don’t want to work with me. Kuch toh gadbad hai (Something is wrong). You don’t want to work with me, tell Ayub’.”

Saroj then recalled Rekha turning her face towards her with tears in her eyes. She then told Rekha that she didn’t say anything wrong to her but felt that she should shoot that day. Responding to Saroj, Rekha said that she would ‘definitely shoot’ and went to get ready. However, her secretary then asked Saroj what she told Rekha ‘because she was crying away’. Though Saroj explained to Rekha, the actor told her that she respected her ‘a lot but you told me that I don’t love your work.’

The choreographer explained, “I didn’t say that, I just felt like that because everyone has got their own favourites. Govinda calls Chinni Prakash because he likes him, his style suits him. If Dimple Kapadia calls Chinni Prakash, I should not mind it, just because she is my student does not mean she has to call me. Sridevi calls me because she likes me. Rekha has got her favourite Kamal. Why should I mind it?.. I told Rekha ‘You can tell me you don’t want to dance with me, you can dance with Kamal. There’s no problem. But if someone’s shooting is getting cancelled for four days that’s not right’.”

Rekha then said that it wasn’t the case but she would ‘do this whole song and show you how I can dance’. Saroj recalled in that ‘anger and spirit’, the dance came out beautifully. She also said that there was no misunderstanding between them. Rekha did all the movements and didn’t make any changes, recalled Saroj.