Ahmed Khan recalls Saroj Khan and Ram Gopal Varma had a fallout over Rangeela: ‘He paid me Rs 25,000 when Saroj was given Rs 20,000 for a song'

Indian Express

30-04-2025

Ahmed Khan, one of Bollywood's most successful choreographers, began his career under the mentorship of the legendary Saroj Khan. Ahmed looked back on his early days in the industry, including how he urged choreographer Saroj Khan to adapt to the changing rhythm and aesthetic of Hindi cinema in the 1990s. 'I used to keep telling Saroj aunty that the time has come, we need to understand, we need to change,' he said, recalling the shift in musical sensibilities brought about by the advent of hip-hop and fusion beats in mainstream Bollywood.
He choreographed hits like 'Ole Ole' and 'Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen', songs that showcased his flair for contemporary dance styles. He shared that while Saroj Khan initially found the sound a bit alien, they eventually collaborated on the Baazigar song, which struck a perfect balance between his modern sensibilities and her classical finesse. 'That time, after Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen, she hugged me and said, 'Ahmed, you have changed things for me,'' he said.
The choreographer also shared how his breakthrough project Rangeela came to him unexpectedly. Originally, the film's songs were to be choreographed by Saroj Khan, but she eventually opted out. Ahmed recalled, 'I was with her, and the first song for Rangeela was 'Tanha Tanha', it was Rahman's first Hindi score. Ram Gopal Varma used to see me sway to 'Tanha Tanha', and he asked Saroj ji, 'I want something like this boy's style.' He didn't even know my name.' He went on to describe how Saroj Khan wanted to take a more traditional approach, while director Ram Gopal Varma preferred Ahmed's free-form, contemporary style. 'Toh wahan par inn dono ka yeh ho gaya ki she said I want to do this and he said I want this (So that's where they had a creative difference. She said she wanted to do it one way, and he insisted on another),' Ahmed said.
Ahmed added, 'Ram Gopal Varma also understood that this is not going to work, and he was really particular about the choreography because he got AR Rahman and the film was called Rangeela. It was a dancing film, a true-blue musical. So there they had a fallout.' Eventually, Saroj Khan backed out, citing date issues, and the project fell into Ahmed's lap.
He also spoke candidly about how nervous he was before accepting the film: 'Aaj hum baat karte hai ki kaise mujhe Rangeela mili… par uss waqt aisa nahi tha. Saroj ji had bigger films like Khalnayak and all. So leaving Rangeela didn't matter much to her… there was no conflict, no contest for… according to her, it was gaya toh gaya. In fact, main khud dara dara ghoomta tha ki main karoon ki nahi… what if it doesn't work… what if Saroj ji doesn't take me back (Today we talk about how I got Rangeela, but at that time, it wasn't like that. Saroj ji had bigger films like Khalnayak, so letting go of Rangeela didn't affect her much. There was no conflict or hard feelings. In fact, I used to walk around scared, wondering whether I should take the film or not. What if it didn't work out? What if Saroj ji didn't take me back)?'
Fortunately for Ahmed, Rangeela turned out to be a massive hit, cementing his place in the industry. He also revealed that he was paid ₹25,000 per song for the film. It was an unprecedented amount for a choreographer at the time, even more than what Saroj Khan used to charge.