Index
- Introduction
- Lachhu Maharaj Personal Life
- Lachhu Maharaj Career
- Lachhu Maharaj Legacy
Introduction
The beauty of Meena Kumari in Pakeezah and the grace of Madhubala in Mughal-e-Azam garnered critical acclaim. It is still one of the best-choreographed movies of all time. The attention to detail, expressions, gestures was commendable. In this article, we will talk about the artist behind these beautiful dances, Lachhu Maharaj, who gave soul to the famous old songs.
Lachhu Maharaj Personal Life
Lachhu Maharaj was born in Varanasi in 1901. He was a renowned Kathak dancer and choreographer. Pandit Bindadin Maharaj trained him. He comes from a family of artists; his uncle was Pandit Bindadin Maharaj, the court dancer of Nawab of Awadh. His father Kalka Prasad and his elder brother Achhan Maharaj were both dancers as well, who trained him for ten years. Along with Kathak Lachhu Maharaj is a maestro of Tabla, Pakhawaj, and Hindustani classical music vocal. Lachhu Maharaj was married to Rama Devi.
He choreographed several period movies in Bollywood. He passed away in 1978 but he is still remembered as one of the most excellent Kathak dancers in India.
Lachhu Maharaj Career
After completing his training Lachhu Maharaj to Mumbai, where he sensed the need of professional choreographer. He wanted to expand the scope of Kathak to a larger audience. He worked as a choreographer in critically acclaimed movies given below.
- Mahal: Mahal is a 1949 thriller Bollywood movie starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala. Kamal Amrohi debuted with this movie. Lata Mangeshkar sang the songs of the film. Mahal was a critical point in the career of Lata Mangeshkar and Madhubala, both the ladies established themselves in the industry after the movie. When the song Aayega Aane Wala was released on Radio, the phone line of the radio station was filled with inquiries of its singer’s name.
- Mughal-e-Azam: Mughal-r-Azam is a Bollywood historical drama released in 1960. The movie’s star cast includes Madhubala, Dilip Kumar, and Prithviraj Kapoor. The story depicted the love story of Prince Salim, the son of emperor Akbar and Anarkali, a court dancer. The film faced financial problems during its making but turned out to be a blockbuster. It was the highest-grossing film of its time.
- Chhoti Chhoti Baten: Chhoti Chhoti Baten is a Hindi Family drama released in 1965. The star cast of the movie includes Nadira and Motilal, who also directed the film. The movie showcased the life of a benevolent person who has a greedy family. When he inherits a vast fortune, he donates most of it for the benefit of the villagers he is staying.
- Pakeezah: Pakeezah is an Indian romantic drama directed by Kamal Amrohi. It was released in 1972, and the star cast included Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari, Nadira, and Ashok Kumar. The movie is considered to be Kamal Amrohi’s tribute to Meena Kumari’s beauty. The movie was Meena Kumari’s last film, and she died after a few weeks of its release.
Along with movies, Lachhu Maharaj has also choreographed plays such as Goutam Buddha, Chandravali, and Bharatiya Kissan. Lachhu Maharaj is also the founder of Kathak Kendra, located in Lucknow Uttar Pradesh. It was an initiative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh to elevate the art of Kathak.
Lachhu Maharaj Legacy
In 2007, a festival was organized in Lucknow to celebrate Lachhu Maharaj’s birth anniversary. His wife Rama Devi was present in the two-day long festival. He has two disciples Kamalini and Nalini. A book about him was released in the celebration, and also, the students of his founded Kathak Kendra performed a ballet named Megh Malhar.
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