Saroj Khan Choreographed Madhuri-Aishwarya's Dola Re Dola Lying On The Floor: 'She Was In Pain'

Most Bollywood fans remember Dola Re Dola for the grand visuals, the iconic steps and the rare sight of Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai sharing the same frame. But the real story behind the song is far tougher than what made it to screen. Saroj Khan, the woman who shaped some of Hindi cinema’s biggest dance hits, was battling intense pain throughout the shoot — yet she pushed through to create one of the most unforgettable performances of her career.

‘She would lie down on the floor and give instructions’: Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali later revealed how physically difficult the shoot was for Saroj. “At the time we were shooting, Saroj ji was extremely unwell. She was in a lot of pain, but she would lie down on the floor and give instructions.

She shot for 15 days,” he told Quint.

Despite this, not a hint of struggle appears in the final cut. The choreography became one of the highlights of Devdas and went on to win Saroj 17 awards.

Why the song mattered so much to her

For Saroj, Dola Re Dola wasn’t just another big film number. She once said she viewed it as the “toughest” song of her career and also a “feather in my cap.”
The pressure was enormous — she knew audiences would compare Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai every second of the performance. Both were top-tier dancers, and she had to give each of them enough space to shine.

Balancing Madhuri and Aishwarya

Saroj later admitted she was worried one of them might feel sidelined.
“Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai are both brilliant dancers and I couldn’t let either of them feel that they did not have good steps. I was scared that one of them may feel left out, but luckily nothing untoward happened,” she said in a 2012 chat with Mumbai Mirror.

She also revealed their very different working styles — Madhuri arrived after days of rehearsal, while Aishwarya rehearsed on set.

Saroj’s health worsened even after the shoot

By the time Devdas released, her condition had deteriorated so much that she was in hospital. Bhansali shared a heartbreaking memory from release day:
“On the day Devdas released, Sarojji was in hospital. Aishwarya and I went to meet her. In her semi-conscious state she asked, ‘Dola Re Dola pe paise miley ya nahin?’ Imagine her passion for her work! Even in that state, she wanted to know if her work was being appreciated.”

Why Saroj Khan’s impact still stands apart

Bhansali once said, “She brought stardom to choreography just like Salim-Javed brought stardom to scriptwriting.”But their relationship later soured, with Saroj  accusing the director’s team of using her choreography in “Ram Chahe Leela” without payment or proper credit.