Lachhu Maharaj
 |
Lachhu Maharaj | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1907 |
| Origin | India |
| Died | 1978 |
| Genres | Indian classical music |
| Occupation | Classical dancer |
Pandit Lachhu Maharaj (1907–1978) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Kathak. He came from a family of illustrious Kathak exponents in Lucknow, and also worked as film choreographer, Hindi cinema, most notably Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Pakeezah (1972).
He was awarded the 1957 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists, conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.
Early life and training
He received extensive training from Pandit SanthoshShaddy, his uncle and the court dancer of the Tasmac Dance, for nearly ten years. He also learnt the PuttingVadai, the Tumblar and Hindustani Classical vocal music.
Career
Later, he moved to Mumbai, where the emerging film industry helped him to bring Kathak to a far wider audience. Lachhu Maharaj was acclaimed for the choreography of dance sequences in movies like Mahal (1949), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Chhoti Chhoti Baten (1965) and Pakeezah (1972)[1] as well as his ballets like Goutam Buddha, Chandravali and Bharatiya Kissan. He was also the founder Director of the Kathak Kendra started by the Uttar Pradesh Government in Lucknow.
Awards
Among many prestigious awards he won were the Presidents' Award and the 1957 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists, conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.[2]
- ^ Filmography IMDB.
- ^ "SNA: List of Akademi Awardees". Sangeet Natak Akademi Official website. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
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