(Saroj Khan won her third National Award as choreographer for the song "Yeh ishq haye" in Imtiaz Alis 2007 film, "Jab We Met", which was picturised on Kareena Kapoor. Ali recalls how Khans choreographing the song happened by sheer coincidence, and also how they would collaborate again in his 2009 film "Love Aaj Kal")
BY IMTIAZ ALI
Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Getting Saroj Khan to choreograph "Yeh ishq haye" for "Jab We Met" was purely coincidental. We were already shooting in Manali. We were speaking to choreographers in Mumbai to come and join the unit, and then it just happened that she was there in Manali. She was shooting for another film.
I thought it would be the best thing in the world if she agreed to do my film. So I met her at the hotel. Her work was over for the other film. There were seven to 10 days in between, so I asked her if she could stay back for those seven or 10 days. She agreed, and then she shot our song. In those seven to 10 days, she worked relentlessly. We had around 70 dancers from different places in Himachal Pradesh. She would rehearse continuously with them.
She was really a pleasure to work with. After the shooting of the song was over, I requested her if she could dance to the whole song -- the parts that Kareena (Kapoor) had done in the song. She danced for all of us -- there were 200 to 300 people, and she danced for all of us! That was the most thrilling thing I will remember about her.
As for her working style, she was very clear about the procedure. She never seemed to be in a rush, she was very calm. I remember her words, she said, 'You can reject my ideas as many times as you want. Iss dukan mein saman bohot hai (there are lots of products in this shop), so if you don't like something, fikar matt karna (don't worry), I'll do something else'. She was very simple, easy and methodical to work with. I really liked her.
Directors and choreographers are usually at loggerheads because of the different ways they want to shoot a song, but she was very easy. I thoroughly enjoyed her company.
After winning the National Award, she called me. She behaved like a teenager – she giggled away! She said 'I've got a National Award' with so much excitement.
We worked together again in "Love Aaj Kal". There was one Indian song, a Saroj Khan type of song. Working with her for the second time, the comfort level was the same because, for a professional, the comfort zone always remains the same. It was very nice to have her on set because she knew what a director's problems would be. She had a good sense of humour. We used to call her Masterji. We had regard and warmth for each other.
I would have loved to another film with her, but it never happened.
I might have connected with her in the passing. But I remember her more for the experience of working with her, and that phone call she made after winning the award.
Her dance, the way she danced, was so beautiful. That is how I will remember her.
(As told to Natalia Ningthoujam)
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Riding on the stellar performance of iPhone 11 and XR, Apple for the first time doubled its smartphone market share in India to nearly 4 per cent in the festive quarter of 2020, a new report said on Monday.
Despite arriving in October, the iPhone 12 contributed significantly towards the rise of Apple in Q4 (October-December) in the country, according to data provided by market intelligence firm CyberMedia Research (CMR).
The tech giant registered over 60 per cent growth (yea-on-year) in its India business in the full year 2020 while for the festive quarter, the growth was an impressive 100 per cent (YoY).
The Apple iPad category saw 25 per cent growth (performance-wise) in Q4 and for the full year 2020, it logged 17 per cent growth.
For the calendar year 2020, Apple's total India smartphone share was about 2.4 per cent, which is a significant rise.
The tech giant registered over 60 per cent growth in its India business in the full year while for the festive quarter, the growth was an impressive 100 per cent.
"Apple continues its stellar run in the India smartphone market, gaining strength on the back of increased local manufacturing and strong marketing initiatives during the festive season," Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, told IANS.
"In doing so, it continues to gain on its enduring aspirational appeal. In particular, the new 5G-capable iPhone shipments did extremely well during the fourth quarter. We believe Apple is on track to grow further and gain strength in the year ahead, as it unveils its new India initiatives on the back of its new online store, and upcoming flagship retail stores," Ram added.
Apple iPad's (YOY) growth was 42 per cent while in Q4 2020, it was a massive 135 per cent (Y-oY), according to the CMR data.
"Amid the pandemic, Apple iPad has continued to benefit from the prevailing remote learning needs. As an attractive companion device, the iPad has especially found favour with users seeking premium devices," said Menka Kumari, Analyst - Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR.
Apple CEO Tim Cook had revealed that the company set its September quarter record in India last year, also partly due to the launch of Apple Store Online that went live in the country on September 23, 2020.
"Geographically, we set September quarter records in America, Europe and the rest of Asia Pacific. We also set a September quarter record in India, thanks in part to a very strong reception to this quarter's launch of our online store in the country," Cook told analysts over the company's earnings call.
Targeting Android mid-segment users as well as aspirational iPhone seekers, Apple brought the new iPhone SE to India, that looks like Apple iPhone 8 with the power of the iPhone 11.
The company in September quarter opened a direct online store, giving it several new angles in its go-to-market strategy, such as utilising device trade-ins to provide purchase incentives or bundling AirPods with iPhones to make them more appealing.
The online store marked the first time that Apple offered its full line-up of products directly to the region's customers, who previously had to buy items through Amazon India, Flipkart, or other authorised sellers.
--IANS
na/arm