Man from Bollywood who put cabaret on screen

If Helen and cabaret became a rage across the country, the credit goes to ace choreographer P.L. Raj. The veteran dance director, who fused ...

If Helen and cabaret became a rage across the country, the credit goes to ace choreographer P.L. Raj. The veteran dance director, who fused Western vigour with Indian grace, died on Tuesday.

Raj choreographed over 1,100 songs, including evergreen ones like Mehbooba mehbooba.., Suku suku, O hasina zulfon waali. Son Leslie Lewis of Colonial Cousins said: ‘‘His influence on my music was strong. Dance was his profession but he knew how to play tabla and pakhawaj. He was constantly in touch with Sitara Devi and Zakir Hussain.’’

Raj learnt dance from Parvati Kumar, said Helen. ‘‘It was he who taught me Bharatanatyam. We worked together first in a duet in Lal Qila. I was 17 then. At times, I would fight with him. Then he would explain and soon we would be friends again.’’ Helen visited Raj regularly. ‘‘Just four days ago, I saw him and thought he was looking his handsome self. He said: ‘Let us get together and do some mudras’. When I said: ‘With my age and weight’, he laughed and said he would ensure I lost weight.’’

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Shammi Kapoor said: ‘‘Have you seen the numbers in An Evening in Paris? That was Raj at his best. Even on trips abroad, he would look for interesting things and incorporate these in his songs.’’

Mala Sinha remembers Kahe jhum jhum raat yeh suhani from Love Marriage. It was Raj’s first film as main choreographer. ‘‘We used to enjoy working with him. He was jovial and a tough taskmaster too,’’ she said.

Lewis remembers his father as a gadget freak. ‘‘He would buy any new instrument, from western drums to a synthesiser. He wanted me to study music, but I refused. I learnt everything by ear.’’ Sixty-seven-year-old Raj was cremated at Victoria Church, Mahim, on Wednesday.

Other than Lewis, he is survived by wife Devyani, daughters Eliza and Greta, and three grandchildren.

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