‘Dhindora Baje Re' choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant wins National Award after 26 years, celebrates with Rani Mukerji

Time of India

02-08-2025

Renowned choreographer
is celebrating a significant milestone in her illustrious career, having secured her second National Film Award for the vibrant song 'Dhindora Baje Re' from the film 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'.
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This latest triumph comes a remarkable 26 years after her initial win for the iconic track 'Dholi Taro Dhol Baaje' from 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' in 1999, marking a triumphant return to the National Award stage.
Vaibhavi Merchant wins National Award
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Vaibhavi shared how emotional and grateful she feels. 'I received my first national award when I was 21, and now I'm 49 years old and receiving it. I was too young to understand the magnitude of the honour the first time I got it.
I was working nonstop, and eventually, I started to miss it. Then I was hoping that I was accomplishing something significant enough to merit that prize again.
" she said.
She also shared how special it feels to win this award in the same year as her best friend
. Rani won the National Award for Best Actress for her role in 'Mrs Chatterjee Vs. Norway' 'I'm now away from my best friend Rani, who also won it this year. But it gives me so much happiness to know that she won her first and I won my second, and I'm simply overjoyed.
We've known about each other's work for all the years we've been together, and this is just too sweet. I cannot express it in words," she added.
The award was given for creative choreography
Vaibhavi also expressed how happy she is that the award was given for creative choreography and not just for a popular item number. 'I'm not sure if I'd be as happy to get it on an item song, which is the norm. It is a highly populist mindset to give the award to a popular item song rather than the choreography.
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So, this time, I'm pleased that the song's creativity was recognised rather than its popularity." she said.
Vaibhavi Merchant's deep connection with Indian classical dance
She spoke about her deep connection with Indian classical dance too. 'I've been doing Bharatnatyam for ten years and am still a student of the classical art form. You must understand the purity and seriousness of those creative forms, as well as what we value–our heritage and culture. There's so much we can do with what we have, and when that recognition comes from a
platform where so many people come in to watch it in the cinema hall and you get to showcase that art form, it's incredible," she shared.
'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,' directed by Karan Johar, stars
, Alia Bhatt, Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra, and
in important roles.