India, July 20 -- The demise of choreographer Saroj Khan in early July sets the ground for a look-back at the evolution of dance in Indian cinema in general and Bollywood in particular. She brought respect to the vocation of choreography in cinema and turned dance into a cultural statement, says Shoma A. Chatterji

The song and dance numbers began as fillers in cinema for an added boost to the entertainment quotient of the film. But slowly, dance evolved into a cultural statement, taking on an important character and sometimes, as a strategic move to create a turning point in the story, or even, to emphasize a quality in a given character.

The Early Influence

Fulbright Fellow and academician Anugyan Nag whose fellowship was on Dance in ...