"Sakal Ban was impromptu, took less time": Heeramandi choreographer Vijayshree Chaudhary [Exclusive]

It's been two days since Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi was dropped on Netflix. The film has a stellar star cast that includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Sharmin Segal.

Set in the pre-independence era, Heermandi revolves around the lives of tawaifs (courtesans) in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore, Pakistan. Needless to say, SLB's Heeramandi is a visual delight with a larger-than-life set, heavy costumes and jewellery that will leave you spellbound.

The cinematic brilliance is filled with passion, love, and enmity and shows the quest to fight for the right. The internet is divided in terms of review. A section of netizens have lauded the series, while a section of fans were left unimpressed.

The songs are loved by the fans. The celebs have rehearsed for months to ace every Kathak step with the help of Pt. Birju Mahraj's disciple. Ace classical dancer and choreographer Vijayshree Chaudhary has choreographed two songs from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi.

She has choreographed Sakal Ban and Aazadi, and the songs as well as the choreography have been loved by the audiences.

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In an exclusive interview with International Business Times India, the effervescent choreographer spoke about her working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, her journey while filming Heeramandi, celebs she would love to choreograph, and more.

Vijayshree Chaudhary, an alumnus of Kathak Kendra, Delhi and foremost disciple of Pt. Birju Maharaj, has been a leading light in the Kathak fraternity.

She has been associated with the Miss India Pageant for 5 years and involved with the "I am She" pageant with Sushmita Sen. She has choreographed a lot of advertisements.

You are an ace choreographer; how has your journey been so far?

The journey so far has been challenging but creatively satisfying with hits and misses, it has been satisfying.

Tell us about your experience working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

To start with, working with him was a dream come true. His vision and in-depth understanding of human emotions and cinematic depictions complement the classical dance forms and their improvisations.

You have choreographed three songs in the series, apart from situations, what are the other nuances that you kept in mind while choreographing the songs?

For me, it was understanding the cinematic nuances to bring out the mood on the screen that suited the situation. As it was shot on a grander scale, every frame is pure magic, and every character has a story to tell. We rehearsed, kept adding newer steps, and polished every bit before the final shoot.

Out of all the celebs, which actor picks up steps fast and which one is a little slow?

All of them have been extremely hard working and gave their best. I am fortunate enough all the actors that I worked with hardworking, talented and well-trained dancers.

Sakal Ban is one of the most popular songs that every generation loves. How many days did it take to choreograph each song?

Sakal Ban and Ajadi were impromptu and comparatively took less time than other songs. 

Any Bollywood actor that you would like to choreograph?

There are many new talented actors like Sara Ali Khan, Jhanvi and of course my favourite Alia Bhat and Madhuri Dixit.

What were the final words for you by Sanjay Leela Bhansali when he saw the final output?

He hugged me and expressed joy after the final output.