As Pandit Birju Maharaj, one of the giants in the world of Kathak, passed into the ages today, artistes from various classical genres expressed their grief.
'To match his passion for his craft is impossible.' 'I don't know of any Kathak dancer who can equal his passion.'
'Both Shahid and Ishaan are over-thinkers and I'm constantly telling them to lighten up, chill.'
Bollywood pays tribute to Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj.
'There she was, standing before me, burning with fever but ready to dance. She was like that. When it came to her dancing it didn't matter to her whether she was well or unwell,' says the legendary Birju Maharaj.
'When it was confirmed that I would do the song, Manishaji walked up to me and asked, "Please Vijayshree, tell me how are you planning to do the song. Give me a rough idea so that I am mentally prepared".'
'You don't have to be screaming and making faces to be evil.'
The new television commercial of Zandu Kesari Jivan featuring Milkha Singh is scheduled to be on air this month.
Maharaj-ji, as he was popularly known, died surrounded by his family and disciples.
During the lunch or tea breaks, Maharajji, Manikda, Amjad Khan and I often sat together as Maharajji sang old compositions or recited some bols. Amjad Khan had a great music sense and sang very well.
The greatest films on the kotha culture are the ones with the best poetry and music.
The legendary dancer did not just take Kathak to the world but also passed on his craft to generations of students
'My kids think it's very cool they will see me on Netflix.'
'I find Katrina and Deepika very graceful. Sonakshi dances well too. I was surprised to see Alia dancing so well on one of the live shows. Shraddha did a good job in ABCD 2.' Dancing diva Madhuri Dixit submits her report card.
'It's my humble tribute to a talent that has no limits, no boundaries.'
A lot of qawalli and romance in Bajirao Mastani's soundtrack, says Aelina Kapoor.
'Acting is my first love but dance is my passion.' Madhuri Dixit gets ready for her next dance reality show, So You Think You Can Dance: Ab India Ki Baari.
'I have never had a foul experience in the industry.' 'There are rotten apples everywhere, in your family, relatives, friends circle, colleagues...' 'It's very vulnerable because of the glamour, but it's very heartbreaking to hear bad things about the industry.' 'It's not such a bad place.'
"She chose a path less trodden and turned it into a road paved with gold as far as her dance was concerned. There will never be another Sitara Devi," says her son, musician Ranjit Barot.
Shobha Deepak Singh, whose association with the legendary Kishori Amonkar, spanned 35 years, shares her memories of the musical genius.
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