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Saroj Khan (Choreographer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 14, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth22 November 1948

Age71 years (at time of death)

BirthplaceBombay, Bombay State, Dominion of India (present-day Mumbai, Maharashtra, India)

ProfessionChoreographer, Dance Teacher, Television Judge

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried (at the time of death)

SpouseB. Sohanlal (ex-husband); Sardar Roshan Khan

FamilyChildren: Son - Raju Khan (also known as Hamid Khan); Daughters - Hina Khan (died in infancy), Sukaina Khan

Saroj Khan (Choreographer) Biography

Saroj Khan, born Nirmala Kishanchand Sadhu Singh Nagpal, was a pioneering Indian choreographer whose work across decades shaped Bollywood dance. Credited,誉

Early life and background

Born on 22 November 1948 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Saroj Khan entered the film world as a child. Her birth name was Nirmala Kishanchand Sadhu Singh Nagpal. From a very young age she was drawn to movement and performance; by age three she appeared as a child artist in the film Nazarana and later worked as a background dancer, including in the song ‘Aiye Meheraban’ from Howrah Bridge.

She trained under choreographer B. Sohanlal, and that apprenticeship shaped both her personal and professional life. While still a teenager she married Sohanlal and began assisting him; her early years in the industry were marked by hard work, learning choreography on sets and rising through the ranks from background dancer to assistant.

Career

Saroj Khan’s first independent assignments as a choreographer began in the mid-1970s. The song “Nigahein Milane Ko Jee Chahta Hai” from Dil Hi Toh Hai is cited as an early choreography credit, and she started receiving independent film choreography work with Geeta Mera Naam in 1974. Her career spanned more than four decades and included choreography for thousands of songs.

Breakthrough recognition came in the 1980s. A turning point was the song “Main Naagin Tu Sapera” featuring Sridevi, which brought wider attention to her work. She went on to create memorable routines for leading film actresses and performers; her collaborations with Madhuri Dixit — including songs such as “Dhak Dhak Karne Laga,” “Ek Do Teen,” and “Dola Re Dola” — became iconic and helped define popular Hindi film dance in that era.

Her choreography also received acclaim in films such as Mr. India (the song “Hawaa Hawaai”), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Guru, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, Jab We Met, and many others. The last song she choreographed was “Tabaah Hogaye” from the 2019 film Kalank.

Awards and recognition

Saroj Khan was a trailblazer in her field. Filmfare introduced the Best Choreography category after her work on “Ek Do Teen” from Tezaab, and she became the first recipient of the Filmfare Best Choreography Award. Over her career she won more Filmfare Awards in that category than any other choreographer and also received multiple National Film Awards for Best Choreography.

Television and public presence

Beyond film sets, Khan appeared as a judge on dance reality shows such as Nach Baliye (she served on the first season in 2005), Ustaadon ka Ustaad, and Boogie Woogie. She also hosted a dance program, Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan, on NDTV Imagine in 2008. In 2012 a documentary titled The Saroj Khan Story was released by PSBT and the Films Division of India, documenting her life and contributions to dance.

Personal life and family

Saroj Khan’s personal life was intertwined with the film world. From her marriage to B. Sohanlal she had a son, Raju Khan (also known professionally as Hamid Khan), who worked as a choreographer. From a later marriage she had a daughter, Sukaina Khan; another daughter, Hina Khan, died in infancy. She was known to regard Madhuri Dixit as a favorite student.

Public profile

Saroj Khan’s stature as a teacher and mentor made her a respected figure within the industry. She was often called by nicknames that reflected affection and esteem, and she was widely recognized as one of Bollywood’s defining choreographers across generations.

Later years and death

In June 2020 Saroj Khan was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital in Mumbai after experiencing breathing difficulties. She died on 3 July 2020 at the age of 71; the reported cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Latest updates

Her final credited film choreography was for Kalank (2019), and her life and work continue to be reflected on through the documentary The Saroj Khan Story and the many songs and performances she shaped.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Saroj Khan (Choreographer), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Tabaah Hogaye (song)

Choreographer for the song in the film Kalank

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Started as a child artist at age three and worked as a background dancer
  2. Became an independent film choreographer in the 1970s
  3. Introduced the choreography that led Filmfare to create the Best Choreography category
  4. Multiple Filmfare and National Film Awards for choreography
  5. Judged and hosted television dance shows
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Saroj Khan (Choreographer) born?

Saroj Khan (Choreographer) was born on 22 November 1948.

What is Saroj Khan (Choreographer) known for?

Saroj Khan (Choreographer) is known for choreographer, Dance Teacher, Television Judge.

What is Saroj Khan (Choreographer)’s marital status?

Saroj Khan (Choreographer)'s marital status is listed as Married (at the time of death).

Who is Saroj Khan (Choreographer) married to?

Saroj Khan (Choreographer) is publicly listed as married to B. Sohanlal (ex-husband); Sardar Roshan Khan.