New Delhi: On a rainy evening, the basement of the Stein Auditorium in Delhi’s India Habitat Centre turned into a disco stage. Audience members from teenagers to grandparents got up and danced to the 1981 chartbuster, Disco Deewane.
And with that, choreographer and casting director Aviekel Kakkar began his multimedia presentation, Twinkle Toes Part 2—a journey through Bollywood music and dance styles, from the 1980s to 2000s. Produced by Sohaila Kapur and Anuradha Dar, it is a sequel to Twinkle Toes, which explored decades between the 1960s and 1980s, and was performed in February at the India Habitat Centre.
A lecture on the history of Bollywood would be incomplete without a dash of glitz and groove. And that’s exactly what happened at the presentation on 20 June. The audience took turns guessing answers to Kakkar’s questions and hints about certain films and songs, like which songs were plagiarised by composers in Bollywood and how old Nazia Hassan was when she broke out as a popular singer. Kakkat started off with singers like Hassan and Salma Agha before moving on to actors Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and finally the ‘item songs’ which became an integral part of the 2000s, giving a glimpse of the importance of music and dance in shaping careers.
Through the two-hour-long presentation, Kakkar used personal anecdotes, songs, and dances to create an immersive experience of the two decades. He even sang some of the songs like disco deewane and Tanha Tanha Yahan Pe Jeena from Rangeela (1995). The presentation ended with his performance on Kaahe Chhed Mohe from Devdas (2002).
Kakkar started with the influence of disco on Bollywood in the 1980s, and Nazia Hassan, who was known for her disco-themed songs.
Disco deewane sparked a fever that singers and filmmakers kept catching every decade. In 1996, Shaan and Sagarika slipped it into their album; in 2012, Karan Johar paid tribute to Hassan through a cover version in his film Student of the Year.
” What started in the 60s with vamps performing cabaret to songs transformed by the late 90s. It was now a leading actress who would perform a song, creating a new trend of the item girls. From Mamta Kulkarni in Ghatak (1996) to Malaika Arora in Dil Se (1998) and Urmila Matondkar in China Gate (1998), to later Aishwarya Rai in Bunty Aur Babli (2005), many leading actresses made these songs iconic,” said Kakkar.
Kakkar’s narration had several anecdotes about how some of the top singers and choreographers of the 1980s and 1990s got their first break—a story of the old fading out and the new coming in.
Kavita Krishnamurthy became a household name with Hawa Hawai, a song that was originally meant for Asha Bhosle. Krishnamurthy had recorded a ‘dummy version’, but once the choreography was set, her voice synced so seamlessly with Sridevi’s moves that the music directors chose the relatively new singer over the veteran. Alka Yagnik too got her big break with the popular dance number Ek Do Teen in Tezaab (1988). It was as if the careers of top female actors, choreographers, and singers were all choreographed together.
Kakkar went on to share anecdotes about how top choreographers like Saroj Khan, Farah Khan and Ahmad Khan made their way to the top.
“The music and dances in the 1980s were loud, with ‘latkas and jhatkas’. Choreographer PA Saleem came over from the South and became a hit with films like Himmatwala (1983) and Tohfa (1984),” said Kakkar. Sridevi and Jeetendra were part of both the blockbusters.
The 1980s were dominated by Sridevi and her dance numbers, from Hawa Hawai and Kaate Nai Katti in Mr India (1987) to Mere Haathon Mein Chandni (1989). Another one of her gems was Main Teri Dushman from Nagina (1986), which was choreographed by Saroj Khan.
Sridevi slowly emerged as the undisputed queen of dance. With each new dance number she did, she further cemented her position in the industry. In the early 90s, another star was born— Madhuri Dixit, whose dance numbers like Tamma Tamma from Thanedaar (1990) and Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai from Khal Nayak (1993) became iconic.
The one common link between Hawa Hawai and Choli Ke Peeche and Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit’s iconic dance numbers was the choreographer Saroj Khan. She was the first female choreographer in Bollywood, who also paved the way for others to try their luck in the industry.
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Student replacing master
Kakkar’s presentation included stories of how the ’90s saw newcomers stepping in for veterans—especially in choreography. It began with Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992), where Saroj Khan was the designated choreographer. But when she failed to show up on time and director Mansoor Khan called for a pack-up, his young assistant Farah Khan stepped in and offered to choreograph the song instead.
“The slow-motion choreography of Pehla Nasha was inspired by the song Jogi O Jogi from the movie Lakhon Mein Ek (1971), and was different from all the dance numbers that were popular around this time,” said Kakkar. Farah Khan then went on to choreograph award-winning sequences like Dhol Bajne Laga from Virasat(1997) and Chaiyya Chaiyya from Dil Se (1998).
Saroj Khan was replaced in another movie by her own student. While making Rangeela (1995), Ram Gopal Varma was looking for a fresh choreographic style, but Khan stuck to her signature moves. The creative clash led to her walking out, and Varma handing his first Hindi film to a young dancer named Ahmed Khan.
Ahmed would often freestyle to Tanha Tanha on his own, and Varma, noticing his style, decided that was exactly what the film needed. It paid off—Ahmed won his first Filmfare Award for Best Choreography for the title track, Rangeela Re.
Filled with facts and anecdotes, Kakkar’s presentation lasted almost 2 hours, but the audience had no complaints. “I came with my grandmom, who is a Bollywood buff. Initially, I was not keen because it’s Friday and it’s a talk. But it turned out to be a lot of fun, and I learnt so much trivia,” said Anshul Kumari. “I will now quiz my friends and be cool,” she added with a laugh.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)