The lady who put Kareena to shame
What is your take on the current girls who perform item numbers on screen?
Today's young girls are doing a brilliant job not only as actresses but also as dancers. Aishwarya and Karisma are talented actresses who are also brilliant dancers. Madhuri Dixit was equally good in dance numbers. I can’t dance like them anymore. I have no problems with item numbers because it is necessary for everyone in the entertainment industry to keep pace with time.
But Vyjayantimala remains my all-time favourite and I don’t think anyone can come anywhere close to her as a dancer. I also have great admiration for the late Ragini of the Travacore sisters Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini.
Has the scenario of the film cabaret changed from your time?
Of course, it has changed tremendously. In my days, it was okay if the leading lady had two left feet and couldn’t dance to save her life. It’s no longer the same. The leading lady must be a very good dancer even before she makes her debut in films. They must be well trained in all styles of dance. So, you find that today's top actresses are also very good dancers. However, we no longer have films totally dedicated to dance the way they used to be in my time.
Filmmakers would be the best ones to say why it’s not happening anymore but it’s a fact. Films like Cha Cha Cha and Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje revolved solely around dance. Besides, leading ladies who were also dancers were extremely proficient in classical styles. Vyjayantimala and Padmini were dancers in their own right. The trend towards Western dance styles didn’t exist. Then times changed and dances were influenced by Western styles.
When did you learn to dance?
I initially trained in the Manipuri style. Then I learnt Bharat Natyam from my guru PL Raj, one of the leading choreographers of that time. Kathak followed this. But you can say that I am the one who introduced the cabaret and the belly dance in Indian films. I often had to dance with strikingly unusual props. For instance, in the Merchant-Ivory film Bombay Talkie, I had to dance on the keys of a gigantic typewriter. Wigs, feathers, fluttering false eyelashes, plumes, gold paint, and everything you can think of formed part of my film wardrobe.
For many years, I would wear a body stocking under the skimpy costumes. Before Howrah Bridge, I danced to the famous number Mr John-e-Baba Khan, in Baarish starring Nutan and Dev Anand. That made a splash and the next year, I did Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo. I did perform semi-classical numbers but rarely as I did in Gunga Jumna and Zindagi.
Same here. Why drag kareena in this muck. Keep it clean and praise helen for all the goodness and beauty she was... Kareena is probably good in her own might (she is an actress afterall, trying to dance, and god knows what had happened to those yester year role bits where helen had acted :d)
Good article...... But, i am unable to understand the heading of the topic! In what way is this related to kareena?!
There is no doubt that helen is the best dancer that bollywood can ever get.
There is no doubt that helen is the best dancer that bollywood can ever get.