Mumbai, August 19 (IANS) Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor and choreographer Geeta Kapur took a trip down memory lane as they recalled their first meeting on the sets of Yash Chopra’s iconic romantic musical ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’.
The conversation took place during an episode of Sony Entertainment Television’s ‘India’s Best Dancer Season 5’.
The episode, which celebrates the theme ‘India Wala Dance’, will see Karisma and Geeta revisit their early association with the 1997 film, particularly the making of the song ‘Pyaar Kar’.
Karisma recalled meeting Geeta when she was still beginning her journey as an assistant choreographer. She said that in 1996, while Karisma was shooting for ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, she was working on the ‘Pyaar Kar’ sequence.
“1996 mein aap jab ye film ke liye shooting kar rahi thi, Dil To Pagal Hai, tab meri nayi nayi shuruaat hui thi as an assistant choreographer aur aap gaana kar rahi thi ‘Pyaar Kar’ ka sequence tha and that was the first time I saw you. Main pehli baar aapse roobaroo hui thi and I thought you were gorgeous, you still are. Aap tab tak already established badi star thi, but you treated me with a lot of love and lot of respect. Aapki pehli mujhe woh pehli jhalak yaad hain. You were wearing a light blue gown, I remember that,” told Geeta while talking to Karisma.
(In 1996, when you were shooting for this film, ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, I was just beginning my journey as an assistant choreographer and you were shooting the ‘Pyaar Kar’ sequence. That was the first time I saw you. I met you for the first time and I thought you were gorgeous, you still are. You were already an established big star at that time, but you treated me with a lot of love and respect. I still remember that first glimpse of you. You were wearing a light blue gown, I remember that)
Karisma, in turn, recalled working with Geeta during stage shows and remembered her as a demanding choreographer who would push her beyond the easier steps being given to other artistes.
“Main bhi ek cheez kehna chahungi, though me and Geeta didn't get a chance to do a film, humne film nahi ki, lekin humne kaafi shows kiye the and Geeta was there full on. So she showed me the dance, I was like, ‘Arey arey arey, ye kya ho raha hain?’ Sorry, par baaki ke artists easy easy, simple steps kar rahe hain aur aisa kuch kar rahe hain, aur mujhe kuch I don't know kya Michael Jackson ka step diya gaya tha. I said, Geeta, what is this? This is not fair. Everybody else you're giving easy steps but Geeta told me you can do it.”
(I also want to say one thing. Geeta and I didn't get a chance to do a film together, we didn't do a film, but we did quite a few shows and Geeta was there in full force. So she showed me the dance and I was like, ‘Oh, oh, oh, what is happening?’ Sorry, but the other artists were being given easy, simple steps and I don't know what kind of Michael Jackson step I was given. I said, ‘Geeta, what is this? This is not fair.’ You are giving everyone else easy steps, but Geeta told me, ‘You can do it.’)
Talking about‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, the movie continues to remain one of Hindi cinema’s best-known musical romances. Directed by Yash Chopra, the 1997 film starred Shah Rukh Khan as Rahul, Madhuri Dixit as Pooja, Karisma as Nisha and Akshay Kumar as Ajay.
The film's story revolves around Rahul, the director of a dance troupe, and his strong belief that in the entire whole wide world, there is a woman destined only for him. Nisha, his closest friend and fellow dancer, is secretly in love with him. When Nisha is injured and unable to perform in Rahul’s new musical, he brings in Pooja, an accomplished dancer who gradually becomes the woman Rahul has always imagined.
The soundtrack, composed by Uttam Singh with lyrics by Anand Bakshi, featured songs including ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Arre Re Arre’, ‘Bholi Si Surat’, ‘Dholna’, ‘Le Gayi’, ‘Pyaar Kar’, ‘Koi Ladki Hai’ and ‘Ek Duje Ke Vaaste’.
The iconic song‘Pyaar Kar’ was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan, and is touted to be among the film’s memorable romantic numbers.
–IANS
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